Cursed to dispatch the one I desire
by valk1
Summary: This is actually my first fic. A reimagining of the season finale showdown with more Valkubus feels. I've taken liberties with the script and woven it into my own story.
1. Chapter 1

Tamsin braced herself as they entered the empty lab. It was now or never, there was no more putting off her duty. She could practically feel his growing impatience, backing her further into a corner. Again she pictured Acacia's severed hand lying in the box and thought of what Freyja had told her, long ago, before she left Valhalla to come to earth. _Never give your heart away, Tamsin, or you will suffer for it. You're there to guide, nothing more. _"It's time to go, Succubus," Tamsin announced.

"And where might that be?" Bo asked uneasily, sizing the Valkyrie up. This was it. The moment she'd been anticipating since answering that mysterious call from the druid. They began circling each other.

"Wherever he wants you," Tamsin replied. "I don't know the details, I'm just here to bring you in."

"I won't go easy. How exactly do you plan to subdue me?"

"With this," Tamsin gestured, drawing forth the maple-colored rune jar. "One hair from someone you trust, two from someone you love and three from your own head, woven together by the kiss of someone who will never betray you." She smashed the rune jar at Bo's feet; it released a few sparks but nothing happened. "Well that was anticlimactic. I've never known a druid mix to be a dud before."

"Maybe he fudged the recipe?" Bo ventured, confused but grateful.

"Or maybe you don't love and trust the way you claim you do," snarled the detective, reevaluating her plan of action. She had used up most of her energy taking out the guards; she'd been counting on that serum.

"Something doesn't add up here," the succubus muttered, ignoring her accusation.

"And what's that, hotpants? Don't tell me you didn't expect this." Tamsin smirked. She put on an icy front. Still, behind it Bo sensed something else –she was torn.

"You don't want to do this," Bo realized, her eyes poring into the Valkyrie's.

Tamsin flinched and looked away. "You still suck at reading people. You should have learned from the dawning: trust your instincts. You knew I meant you harm from the moment we met."

"Maybe I did, but we both know that changed. What about _your_ instincts, Tamsin? Like your instinct to shield me from that human's bullet?" She paused. "You had plenty of opportunities to take me in before now. You didn't have to help me bust in here to save my friends, but you weakened yourself to do it. You care for me, don't you? Maybe you didn't want to, but you feel something for me."

Defensive anger washed over the Valkyrie as she took in Bo's suggestion. "I _feel_ irritated," she scoffed. "Newsflash: your little succu-charm only works when you make direct bodily contact."

"No, this isn't a succubus thing. I've never used my charm on you. I certainly didn't have to use it the day you kissed me in Brazenwood. And don't pretend there was nothing going on there because I felt it too."

Tamsin scowled, remembering that amazing kiss. She still dreamt about it. She knew Bo was right, and hated herself for it. This was all a consequence of her own feelings, but that didn't change what had to be done._ Don't let her get under your skin,_ she told herself. "You don't know what you're talking about," the blonde spat, lunging forward. She knocked Bo against the wall and quickly assumed her shadowed visage, intent on sowing doubt in the brunette's mind. Despite her best efforts, Tamsin couldn't focus. The desperate attempt was futile; it was Bo who had caused her to doubt her own motivation.

"Fine, we'll play it this way then," Bo sighed. She avoided Tamsin's gaze and took a powerful pull of her chi. It really did taste incredible. This time, she could taste her enemy's anguish. It was all too easy to gain the upper hand.

It hurt when the succubus fed off her, yet a part of Tamsin didn't want her to stop. The pain was accompanied by a warm sensation of bliss, inviting surrender. _What if I just let her take it all? Then this will be over. _The shadows faded from the Valkyrie's face but Bo stopped before taking too much. Tamsin 's grip on Bo's shoulders loosened and Bo shoved her back into a table. "Come on Tamsin, let's take a time-out here."

The blonde tried to regain composure. _You're a millennium old Valkyrie_, she said to herself. _Are you really going to let this baby fae best you?_ _Battle is what you were built for. You have never failed before. Just weaken her another way._ "Seems I wasted my doubt on those guards, but there's more than one way to skin a succubus," Tamsin reassured Bo, trying to quell her other emotions with anger. She pulled out her circular blade, the one she had used to take down the rakshasa. Bo followed suit, whipping out her dagger.

Tamsin's heart sank at the sight of Bo's weapon, remembering the moment she had thrown it into Whitman's chest, before the kiss that had sealed this fate. Brandishing her serrated throwing disk, she stepped toward the succubus, unsure of whether she could bring herself to use it. Bo saw the knife coming, and without thinking reflexively thrust her own into Tamsin's side, tearing through the kitsunes' freshly planted stitches. The Valkyrie groaned and fell to her knees; Bo sank with her to the ground, her shaking hand still clinging the dagger's hilt. Tamsin felt a wave of relief looking down at the wound. Blood once again seeped through her shirt; her blade tumbled to the ground with a clatter. She looked at Bo with pleading eyes and a wincing smile. "You win, Bo. You were right; finish it. It's my fault you were marked, and I'm so sorry." Tamsin felt stronger in surrender than she had trying to fight her feelings.

Bo cradled the Valkyrie in her arms and shook her head. "No, it doesn't have to be this way. There must be a solution, we can fix this," she gasped. "Just tell me how to help you."

"You can't help me. Nobody can," Tamsin cringed, the pain palpable in her voice.

Her words echoed like a trigger as Bo's mind flashed to a previously blocked memory of the two of them nestled on her bed in the shack she shared with Kenzi. She was facing Tamsin; Dyson lay asleep on the floor beside them. She was looking at a piece of paper on which a poem was written. Stunned, Bo muttered the words aloud as she remembered them.

_Like an angel I descend from above,_

_but dark is my purpose as Odin's squire._

_Forbidden from sharing a moment of love,_

_I am cursed to dispatch the ones I desire. _

They looked at each other in flustered shock as Tamsin registered the memory herself, a tear sliding down her cheek. _Of course_, she thought. _Sometimes when I like people, I have to make them go away._

"You see," Tamsin finally offered, her breath growing more uneven. "I doomed us both. I didn't mean to; I came here convict you as a murderer for the Morrigan so I assumed I was safe from the Valkyrie's curse. By the time I realized I loved you it was too late, the card was already cast. Your only hope is to kill me." She squeezed the succubus's hand, "it will be a mercy; I'm already dead." She closed her eyes.

Bo felt a sharp pang in her gut, thinking back to all the moments when she had felt the intense chemistry they shared. The kiss in Brazenwood and the feeling of Tamsin's warm hands stroking her face. Their conversation in Lauren's apartment afterward, and the way she had blushed and tapped Bo's elbow awkwardly on her way out the door. The Valkyrie's mysterious bathtub confession, and the urge she'd felt to kiss Tamsin before her abrupt departure. The electricity they both felt as Bo injected her with the druid's pick-me-up and fed off her at the same time. They had always shared a tension, but as time had gone by it had become increasingly, undeniably sexual.

She exhaled sharply, tears streaming down her face. "No. Tamsin, you are more alive than anyone I've ever met. I care for you too and I won't let you go." She leaned down and gently kissed the Valkyrie, pulling her closer. Tamsin sighed softly as Bo slowly breathed chi into her; her lips tingled and she felt the pain in her stomach begin to subside. The succubus ran her fingers through Tamsin's hair and stroked her face. Feeling her life force return, she wrapped her arms around Bo, who moaned in response. This was what Bo and Tamsin had been building to for all these months. Lost in their embrace, neither noticed that someone else had entered the room.


	2. Chapter 2

The human guard signaled to the others, who quietly tip toed into the room and trained their guns on Bo and Tamsin. Absorbed as she was in the moment, the Valkyrie's centuries of battle had left her hyper-alert to sneak attacks. "You've got to be kidding," she growled, turning toward them.

"It's time to return you to your holding pen," the leader bellowed, careful to avoid eye contact, "and if I see you make that shadowy face again I won't hesitate to shoot."

"You know your boss is dead meat, right?" Tamsin informed them with an eye roll, "I mean he is literally being gobbled up by our big bad wolfman at this very moment. Leave now and we won't harm you. If you don't, let's just say we'll huff and we'll puff and we'll blow your house down." The humans stood by unphased. Summoning the little energy she had left, the Valkyrie tried to cast doubt on them, to no avail. _Damn, still too weak_.

Bo's eyes suddenly assumed their bright blue glint and her voice deepened to its primal, god-like timbre. As always, it was as if she had fallen into a trance, commanded by her sheer power. "I have grown tired of your interference," she admonished them. She began sucking their chi collectively until one by one they tumbled to the ground.

The Valkyrie was both impressed and surprised, having never seen the succubus feed off an entire room before. Reflecting on their showdown only moments before, Tamsin noted that Bo had shown restraint in light of the power she clearly possessed. _She could have snuffed me out from across the room but instead she tried to negotiate. She must have known that I couldn't bear to hurt her. _

Consumed with anger, Bo continued draining the guards until Tamsin leaned in and squeezed her shoulders, whispering, "Careful, succubus, I know these little shits deserve it but it's not in your nature to kill humans." The brunette immediately calmed down, her eyes fading back to their usual brown.

"Thanks," she sputtered, catching her breath, "sometimes when that happens I get carried away." Bo placed her hand on Tamsin's side, but the Valkyrie winced at her touch. "Sorry, I thought it was…" she began, pulling her hand away.

"It's really nothing," the blonde assured her. "You should have seen the bayonetting I took during the Crimean War," she mused, sighing as if she were recalling a fond memory, "Now _that_ was gory. This little nick will heal in no time."

"Whatever you say, tough guy," Bo snickered, lifting the Valkyrie's bloodied shirt to inspect her midriff. The outer laceration was gone but the area was dark and swollen: she could tell there was internal bleeding.

"Really, I'm fi-" Tamsin started, but Bo moved in and kissed her before she could finish. A pink stream of chi began flowing into the Valkyrie, who could feel herself rapidly healing. She melted into Bo's arms, whimpering like a lovesick teenager. _Fuck, how does she affect me this way?_

After a few minutes Tamsin broke away, the victim of her better judgment. "Not that I don't appreciate your brand of first aid, but we should probably get out of here," the Valkyrie stammered, still moony-eyed.

"Now that I've gone rogue we're going to be pursued by bad guys far more dangerous than these tools." She rose to her feet, noticing that her strength had been fully renewed. The succubus's chi was even more powerful than the druid's magic injection.

Bo could see the Valkyrie's libido and life force had returned. "I take it you're sufficiently juiced?" she asked reaching to lift the blonde's shirt once more.

Flustered, Tamsin brushed her hand away and headed for the door. "Yep… all better."

_She's adorable_, Bo smiled to herself. "Okay, then let's head to the Dal," she suggested, "Trick will know what to do." She holstered her dagger and followed Tamsin toward the door. Another human was guarding the exit but the Valkyrie's fist met his face before he had time to reach for his weapon.

As they walked out into the setting sun, Bo's eyes fixed on the blonde's back, admiring her well-muscled shoulders and trademark swagger. She was still stunned by the Valkyrie's disclosure and confused about what it meant to be marked. _Can I be un-marked?_ _Does this kind of thing happen to her often?_

They found the detective's truck sitting right where they'd parked it. Tamsin took the opportunity to change into a clean top, pitching her bloodied shirt and jacket to the side of the road. Bo got into the cab, careful not to ogle the Valkyrie as she stripped out of her clothes. Rooting around for her seat belt, she glanced at the photo of herself she'd discovered earlier next to the rune jar, then down at the dozen empty Grey Goose bottles spread out over the back seat. Tamsin's recent behavior made sense now_._ Turning to the tape deck, Bo saw a cassette sticking out and curiously pushed it in to play. _I find myself alone when each day is through…yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you… Because you're mine, I walk the line…_

"I see you found my tunes," the detective observed as she slid into the driver's seat, "All this angst has given me a greater appreciation for country music." Bo could picture the Valkyrie parked somewhere private, swigging her vodka and gazing at the picture as she mouthed the words to Johnny Cash.

"You went on a bender because you thought numbing yourself with booze would make it easier to take me," the succubus commented.

The blonde nodded shyly as she turned the keys in the ignition. "I guess you don't suck at reading people after all," she muttered.

Feeling Bo's eyes on her as she backed onto the main road, Tamsin became increasingly self-conscious._ Well, I've managed to fall in love with someone who is already in love with 2 other people and humiliate myself in front of her and none of it really matters because Odin is going to eviscerate me._ The Valkyrie's heart began to feel like it was beating out of her chest, she could feel her blood pressure rising, and her breathing becoming unsteady.

Seeing Tamsin squirming in discomfort, the succubus shut off the music and softly ran her fingers up and down the blonde's forearm to settle her nerves. "Tamsin, it's okay," she murmured, "let's just go to the Dal and start from there."

The Valkyrie was taken aback as the succubus's charm flowed through her like a drug. Her anxiety evaporated. She looked down to see her skin glowing under Bo's hand. "Holy Christ on a cracker; it's no wonder Officer Jameson didn't stand a chance against you," she chuckled, remembering that first day at the precinct when Bo kept escaping the cop assigned to keep tabs on her.

"What can I say?" the succubus teased, pulling her hand back, "I always get what I want through my charm and personality."

"That you do," the blonde smirked.

When they arrived at the Dal and stood before the door, Tamsin was hesitant to enter. "Your granddaddy is never going to forgive me," she predicted.

"Give Trick some credit. Not everyone is as hotheaded as you are."

A grin spread across the detective's face, "True. Few can aspire to be as bitchy as I am."

Bo smiled, "there's the Tamsin I know. Come on." She squeezed the Valkyrie's hand and led her inside.

Trick and Stella were already there; Dyson soon appeared, half-naked as always; and Kenzi pulled up in a sports car, shadowed by a shy but friendly beefcake named Bruce. "He's dark fae but he helped save me and he's sweeter than a puppy," she assured her friends. Bruce took off his jacket and offered it to the shirtless Dyson as a courtesy. "See?" Kenzi cooed.

After a long round of greetings and a discussion of the potential whereabouts of Lauren and Hale, the group settled around the bar to hear the tale of Isaac's demise. Everyone was relieved to hear that Dr. Lewis had indeed not betrayed them. Dyson spared no detail recounting the satisfying hunt; Kenzi grimaced as he described his wolf teeth tearing Taft's flesh.

"Now that Doctor Frankenfae has been taken care of, we have another pressing matter to attend to," Tamsin announced soberly, eying Trick. She pulled the tattered Wanderer tarot card out of her back pocket and placed it gingerly on the counter. "Bo has been marked by Odin. I was supposed to deliver her today."


	3. Chapter 3

"Bo has been marked by Odin. I was supposed to deliver her today."

Stella gasped; the blood king's eyes widened as he processed the news.

"Hold on there, Tammy Fae," Kenzi demanded, "what does it mean to be marked by Odin?"

"It means," Tamsin explained miserably, "that I am duty bound to escort Bo to the god of war, Odin, in Valhalla, in Asgard. She would then be forced to serve him and be inducted into the Hall of Warriors. Bottom line is, she could never return to this world."

Kenzi spat out her beer: "Asgard is REAL?!" Stella rolled her eyes at the human's ignorance.

"This doesn't make any sense," Dyson protested. "I researched this when you were first assigned as my partner. Valkyries only come for human warriors. There's no way Bo could be marked…"

Trick sighed knowingly, "Valkyries do typically escort humans, but there is one exception. Any fae can be marked… if a Valkyrie falls in love with them. They call it Valkyrie's curse." Tamsin stared down at the table; she'd never felt so exposed.

There was a short silence, then Kenzi let out a hearty cackle, "Detective Frownypants lurves Bo? Yeah, and I've been knocking boots with the Morrigan! Are you even capable of love? Your phasers have been set to 'heartless bitch' as long as we've known you."

Bo guiltily shushed her BFF while Dyson grinned and shook his head, "there must be some mistake here Trick. Surely that can't be possible. She came here intent on putting Bo in jail."

The blood king, more perceptive than the others, locked eyes with the now mortified Tamsin, who offered a culpable nod of confirmation. "I'm so sorry, Trick."

"Since when?" he asked her, ignoring Kenzi and Dyson's interjections.

"I was given notice the day she got her invitation to the Dawning," the Valkyrie revealed, "I really didn't mean for this to happen. You know how hard we work to avoid invoking the curse." He gave her a mournful look of understanding.

"It's an actual curse you invoke?" Bo asked. She intuited that their kiss in Brazenwood had something to do with it but the curse's full meaning hadn't sunk in yet.

"Yes," Tamsin confessed, feeling a lump in her throat, "Like the people we escort to Valhalla, Valkyries are warriors: that is the whole purpose of our existence. As such, we are forbidden from falling in love because it makes us vulnerable and distracts us from our duties." Her face turned red. "We are permitted to indulge in the sins of the flesh, but if a Valkyrie develops… genuine love for anyone, she is punished by being forced to sacrifice them to Odin."

Bo sat back in awe of the Valkyrie's cruel destiny. She couldn't imagine how Tamsin had spent so long surviving without one of the very things on which her own life force depended.

"This is why you can't stand Bo… and why you've been acting so strangely…" Dyson observed. He remembered his partner alluding to various brief trysts and suddenly understood why she limited herself to such encounters. The wolf poured a glass of the top shelf vodka and placed it in front of her, squeezing her arm. She took a sip and offered a meek smile of thanks.

"Has this ever happened before?" Trick asked gently, placing his hand over Tamsin's. He could tell she felt guilty and humiliated.

The Valkyrie shook her head, blushing. "I didn't even see it coming. I promise you, if I'd known this would happen I would have bolted." Bo realized she was relieved that Tamsin hadn't abruptly taken off.

The Blood King's eyes brightened as a light bulb went off in his head. "Have you ever come into contact with my granddaughter's blood?" he asked, "it does have the ability to enthrall people. In that case I'm sure we could solve this with a simple ritual." The Valkyrie and the succubus paused to think about it, and then shook their heads in unison. "I wish it were that simple," the blonde lamented.

Kenzi thought back to Bo's revelation that she and the detective had kissed in Brazenwood. "Back up the bus," she demanded, "you _knew_ this would happen if you fell for someone? And you still thought it was kosher to hang with a _succubus_ and randomly smooch her during errands? Now Bobo is on Odin's hit-list because bottle blonde here couldn't keep it in your pants. Selfish much?!"

"Time out, short stack." Bo pulled her seething friend away from the bar and into the back room. "Do I need to remind you, Kenz, that _my_ affection once came with a death sentence? You weren't so quick to condemn me, cut her some slack."

"You didn't know you were fae. She should have known this would happen!" Kenzi shouted.

"Why do you think she's such a guarded asshole?" Bo asked, "She appears to have spent centuries building a wall around herself just to prevent this from happening. Look at her. She's not exactly pleased as punch to have brought this upon me or herself."

_Even now she is being decent and defending me, the person who cursed her, _Tamsin thought as she looked on from the doorway. "You don't have to protect me, Bo," she offered. Normally the Valkyrie would have had a sharp retort for the human, but she was too ashamed to offer one. _She's right, it is my fault. _

"Only noble warriors have the power to move a Valkyrie's heart," she explained, "We spend our whole existence avoiding the fae variety to prevent this. That's why nearly all of us end up aligning with the dark. Keeping company like Vex and Evony has been a great defense against falling in love. "

"Yet you still took a job working with the light and Bo, even though she's a _succubus_!" the human pointed out.

"I didn't pick this post: I was sent to work on this little peace initiative because I pissed off the wrong people," the Valkyrie countered. "Over the years I've actually crossed paths with several incubi and succubi. I've even," Tamsin paused, choosing her words carefully, "known a few in the biblical sense, but it never came to this, because most are only interested in pleasure and self gratification."

"The biblical sense?" Kenzi repeated, confused. Bruce whispered something in her ear. "Okay then… too much information!" she exclaimed, her face aghast.

Tamsin ignored the human's interruption. Gesturing at Bo, she went on, "The Morrigan sent me to convict her of murder. I figured she was yet another hedonist fae who couldn't control her appetite. I had no idea an honorable succubus even existed. She caught me totally off guard."

Bo thought back to their conversation in the bath._ You're virtuous, yet you're a succubus._ _You shouldn't be… Be real. Be here. _

"Trust me Kenzi, I hate myself for this even more than you do," the Valkyrie argued. Staring into her eyes, Kenzi could tell that this was true, but she declined to acknowledge it.

"Oh, I'd beg to differ," the human snapped. She stomped away, cursing under her breath in Russian.

Bo's heart ached as she looked at Tamsin's defeated expression. She wanted to wrap her in a hug but Trick interrupted her. "I understand that you didn't choose this, Tamsin, and I appreciate the enormous risk you've taken in defying your orders." The Valkyrie looked down at him gratefully, though she still felt guilty. "It's getting late," he continued, "and we all need our rest. We'll have to regroup tomorrow. I don't think either of you should leave the Dal for the time being. It's the best sanctuary available and we can take measures to prevent those who would do you harm from entering, though I can't promise to hold Odin off forever."

The blood king gathered some herbs and other ingredients for a protection enchantment. "I'll need some of your hair too," he told the Valkyrie, who cut off a lock with her dagger. Bo gave them both a quizzical look. "Valkyries' hair bestows protection on those they offer it to," Trick informed his granddaughter.

He mixed everything together and recited an incantation in an ancient fae language. He and Stella traced the perimeter with the concoction as Dyson brought Tamsin's bags in from her truck. "I don't blame you, partner," he said, hugging her goodbye, "I can't imagine how hard it must be to face that curse."

"You're too kind, wolf," she assured him, relieved by his sympathy.

As she and Bo ate dinner in a booth (Thai takeout procured by Bruce), Kenzi was distracted by a call from Hale, who arranged for her to go to his family's estate. After sharing an emotional goodbye with her best friend, she shot Tamsin one last dirty look and scooted out the door.

When everyone else had finally departed they got ready for bed. The Valkyrie rifled through her duffel bag and found some t-shirts for them to sleep in; she also lent the succubus her treasured Montreal Canadiens pyjama bottoms. Bo was amused, "I didn't know you were a hockey fan."

"Well, what you don't know about me could fill a book," Tamsin joked.

"I'd like to read that book," the succubus replied earnestly, and Tamsin felt her heart skip a beat at the compliment. "I've always been more of a Leafs girl, myself," Bo offered.

"No!" the detective gasped, "You do realize that team is full of dark fae, right?" Bo's jaw dropped. "Just messing with you," she giggled. Bo playfully shoved her as they walked into the Dal's guest room. They fell silent as they confronted the sight of its one and only bed.

"Uhh…" Bo mumbled. She was still overwhelmed by everything she had learned that day. The succubus was still getting used to her breakup with Lauren, even though a part of her also felt powerfully drawn to the woman standing next to her.

"Look, this is very new to me and I know you've got a full plate and you're on a break with the doc and I don't expect you to reciprocate what I feel anyway," Tamsin rambled on, "and I don't want to make you uncomfortable, and I'm used to sleeping in rough places, so why don't I take the floor?"

Bo smiled; they both knew she and Lauren had broken up for good but Tamsin had called it a break euphemistically to comfort her.

"It's okay, Tamsin. This has been a lot to absorb and I haven't sorted it all out yet but I care for you and I know you respect my space," Bo told her, "It's been an intense day and I don't know about you but I don't want to be alone right now. Can't we just sleep next to each other without having sex?"

"Okay," the Valkyrie assented. They turned off the light and slipped under the covers.

Unsure of how to position herself, Tamsin faced away from Bo, her muscles nervously tensed. The succubus moved instinctively toward her, and then hesitated. "You've never cuddled with anyone, have you?" she realized.

"No," Tamsin confided, embarrassed, "Valkyries always sleep alone; it's the time when we're most physically vulnerable and we don't dare risk getting that close to sexual partners because it might awaken the curse."

"Well, there's no harm now that we're already cursed. Is it okay if I spoon you?" Bo asked. Tamsin let out a barely audible 'yes'. The succubus moved closer and slowly wrapped her arm around the Valkyrie. She felt a pang in her heart as she inhaled the scent of Tamsin's hair. It was both arousing and oddly made her feel secure. "Just relax, you're safe," she murmured as she pressed her cheek against the Valkyrie's back.

Savoring the feeling of Bo's breath on her skin, Tamsin was amazed by how good it felt simply to be held by the succubus. Goosebumps danced up her spine. Bo caressed her arm and settled her hand on the Valkyrie's abdomen: her touch felt electric. "Are you using your charm on me?" Tamsin asked, mildly suspicious.

"I already told you: I don't have to," Bo whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note - thanks for the reviews! I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who can't get Valkubus out of my head...**

_Tamsin and Acacia were perched on the rear fender of the detective's truck, sipping cheap beer in the hot sun. They'd been reminiscing about battles and exceptional human warriors, but the elder Valkyrie eventually steered the conversation back to the reason for her visit. "You've never choked before and now is not the time to start," Acacia cautioned her protégé. _

_"I'm not choking. I'll find someone else he wants more," the younger Valkyrie replied._

_"Who does he want more than this girl? You know exactly why he wants her, Tams. You were warned this would happen. It's time to wrap this up."_

_"I can't do it. I just can't do that to her."_

_"Yes you can. Take the rune jar, follow the druid's instructions, and deliver the succubus."_

_"That's easy for you to say; you've never loved a mark," Tamsin countered sadly._

_"Yeah, that's because I've been smart, Tams; I thought I taught you to be smart too." _

_The elder Valkyrie's words stung her. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you."_

_"Listen: you can't change your feelings, but you can finish the job. It's your duty, have you forgotten who you are?"_

_"You don't understand. It will KILL me," the detective pleaded._

_"No, my dear, it will kill ME," Acacia answered. "I am paying the price of your cowardice." She lifted her arm to reveal her hand had been severed. _

_"No! Acacia!" Tamsin cried._

Her head resting comfortably on Tamsin's chest, Bo woke to the sound of her bedmate murmuring fearfully in her sleep as she began to toss and turn. The succubus couldn't figure out what the Valkyrie was saying, but she had never heard her sound so scared.

"Wake up, babe, you're having a bad dream," Bo whispered, gently nudging her. Tamsin's eyes shot open as she jolted away, her face as white as a ghost. She could still hear Acacia's voice echoing. _I am paying the price for your cowardice._

"It's okay, you're with me," the succubus reassured her, "it was just a dream, it's not real."

Still shaking, Tamsin breathed deeply as she took in her surroundings. _It was a dream but it was all too real._

Bo slowly approached the Valkyrie and placed her hand on her back. Tense at first, Tamsin gradually relaxed, welcoming the brunette's touch.

"That must have been one hell of a dream," the succubus observed.

"Yeah, sorry for the freak out… I… what did you hear?" the detective asked self-consciously.

"I couldn't really make out what you were saying but… this is going to sound weird but it sounded like you were talking about… Kesha."

It was hard not to be amused at Bo's mistake. "Well, I'm not a fan but she doesn't exactly haunt me in my sleep," Tamsin smirked. "I was dreaming about someone named _Acacia_," she explained more seriously.

"Who's Acacia?" Bo asked.

"She's…" the Valkyrie started, staring off into the distance. "It's complicated."

"Try me."

"I… I can't talk about her with anyone Bo, not even you," Tamsin replied, fighting to hold back tears as she avoided the succubus's gaze. She felt too ashamed and horrified at the prospect of sharing the tale of her mentor's demise.

"Would this help?" Bo asked, taking the detective's hand in hers and giving her a light pulse of charm to ease her anxiety.

Tears began sliding down the Valkyrie's face as her guard fell. "That's cheating," she protested.

"You don't leave me much choice," Bo told her as she brushed away the blonde's tears, "You can't keep these secrets forever and you know you can trust me."

Tamsin nodded, knowing Bo was right. "Acacia was one of my closest mentors," she began, "She trained me in combat in Valhalla, and here on earth we met in battle on many occasions over the centuries. I hadn't seen her since the War of 1812; then she showed up here last month. She'd been deployed to ensure I wouldn't fail to deliver you. I told her you were too strong after the Dawning, so she gave me a rune jar from the druid."

"At first I listened to her, the way you'd listen to Trick, so I took the rune jar. When you and Dyson were off chasing the tikbalang, I went to his apartment to gather hair from someone you trust. Only, when I got there, I went looking for his comb in a drawer and I found… a picture of you. When I saw your face I couldn't bear to do it so I threw the rune jar in the trash."

"Then what happened?" Bo asked, warmed by Tamsin's moment of loyalty.

"Acacia found me and warned me to finish the job, or else. But I couldn't. And I didn't know…"

"Didn't know what?"

"I didn't know that when I refused, he would…" the Valkyrie's voicd began to crack, "Odin killed her and sent me a package in the mail with her… her hand in it, along with another rune jar, the one I had yesterday."

Stunned by her revelation, Bo held Tamsin as she broke into sobs. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, kissing the top of the blonde's head.

"I got her killed," the Valkyrie sobbed.

"It's not your fault, you didn't know what he would do. You would have protected her if you could have," the succubus argued.

"None of this would have happened if it wasn't for my weakness. You wouldn't be marked and Acacia would still be alive."

"You didn't invent that barbaric curse, Tamsin," Bo assured her. "Love isn't a weakness. It's quite the opposite, and I think some part of you knows that." The detective had no counter-argument.

They sat together in silence for a few minutes as the Valkyrie calmed down; then she pulled back and looked the succubus in the eye. "I betrayed Odin, Bo. Whatever he does to me, it will be even worse than what he did to Acacia. That's why I told you yesterday that killing me would be a mercy."

"No way, I can't kill you," the succubus asserted firmly, shaking her head as she moved to retrieve her clothes. "There has to be another way. Trick will be up by now; let's go see if he and Stella have dug anything up."

After getting dressed Tamsin trudged into the barroom to find Trick had served up two plates of pancakes. "Good morning," he called as he emerged from the kitchen with a pitcher of orange juice.

"Screwdrivers?" she asked, mildly hopeful.

"Sorry detective, I understand that you want to take the edge off but we need you sober right now."

"I know," the blonde grumbled.

"Pancakes!" Bo chirped as she plunked down in a seat next to the Valkyrie and reached for Trick to pass her a can of maple syrup. "Did you find anything in your books, Trick?" she inquired.

"Not yet, but Stella left this morning to personally appeal to Freyja in Valhalla."

Tamsin nearly choked on her orange juice. "What?!"

"Don't look so surprised. Stella has been helping Valkyries train for the Dawning for a few hundred years now so she knows Freyja fairly well. She may be able to negotiate some kind of solution."

"That's got to be good, right?" Bo beamed at the blonde. Tamsin melted at her optimism: it was one of the things she loved most about the succubus.

"Well, it's a reprieve: they'll hold off on their plans as long as Stella's in Valhalla," she said, digging into her pancakes. "That was an incredibly generous gesture on her part," she added gratefully.

Dyson strolled in not long after breakfast with a laptop and a box full of case files. "We still haven't finished filing reports on all of Taft's victims and I thought you could lend some help, seeing that you're all cooped up here with nothing to do," he proposed.

"Fae paperwork, my favorite," Tamsin groaned sarcastically, punching his arm playfully. "Thanks partner," she said as she pulled him in for a hug.

"Well, I wasn't going to let you miss out on the fun," he chuckled.

"How long will Stella be in Valhalla?" Bo asked her grandfather as she helped him clear the dishes.

"Maybe a couple of hours, why?"

"I was thinking that if no one's coming to get us while she's there, I might as well take the opportunity to run home and grab a few things. I'd ask Kenzi but she's probably still …occupied."

Trick paused to think it over. "I want you back here within an hour," he instructed her.

"I'll give you a ride, Bo," Dyson offered, grabbing his keys.

The Valkyrie listened warily to their exchange and followed them to the door.

"Don't worry Tamsin, we'll be back before you know it," the succubus assured her, reading the blonde's nervous expression.

"I know; I'm not going to tell you not to go. I just…" she mumbled, "I know it's silly but I'd like you to take this," she cut off a small lock of her hair, "for protection."

_God, she's adorable_, Bo thought as she palmed the gift and carefully inserted it into the breast pocket of her jacket. She kissed Tamsin on the cheek and pulled her into an embrace. The Valkyrie felt butterflies zooming around in her stomach as she inhaled Bo's scent.

"I'll see you soon," the brunette promised as she stepped back. Tamsin smiled and nodded. _I get such a rush just from hugging her_, the succubus thought as she headed into the parking lot.

"Are you blushing?" Dyson teased as she got into his car.

"Shut up."


	5. Chapter 5

Tamsin settled by the window with her case files, glancing out every few minutes hopefully for sign of Dyson's car. Other staff and patrons had begun trickling in to the bar and soon enough Kenzi and Hale arrived. The siren greeted Trick and they went in his office to discuss Ash business.

Looking around, Kenzi made her way over to Tamsin's table. "Where's Bo?" she asked accusingly.

"She went back to your place to grab a few things, she'll be back soon."

The human raised an eyebrow. "I thought it wasn't safe for her to leave. Why aren't you with her making sure she doesn't get scooped up by your ilk?"

"Stella is in Valhalla negotiating with Feyja therefore my ilk have put things on pause," the Valkyrie replied, trying to suppress her frustration, "and she's not alone: Dyson went with her."

"Oh, okay," Kenzi said apologetically.

They were distracted as Stella materialized before them in the middle of the room. The Valkyrie rose from her seat. "Stella," she greeted her solemnly.

"Tamsin," Stella said softly. She beckoned for the Valkyrie to follow her into Trick's office.

They sat across from one another in the blood king's private lounge; Trick and Hale moved to join them as Kenzi leaned in the doorway to eavesdrop.

"What did Freyja say?" the blood king asked. Stella's somber expression told Tamsin all she needed to know. _Bad news._

"The Valkyrie's curse is sacred law in Asgard," she told him, taking his hand. "I'm afraid she could not lift the mark even with my appeal; the best she could offer was to delay collecting Bo for another week so she'd have time to settle her affairs. At that point Tamsin, you'll be given another chance to do it or..."

"They'll send someone else," the blonde finished. Stella nodded.

"What are we going to do?" Trick sighed.

"There is one way for a mark to free herself, but…" the elder woman began. The others looked on impatiently; Tamsin knew what was coming. "Bo _can_ shake the curse if she… defeats the squire assigned to deliver her."

"Defeat?" Hale repeated, confused, "like in a fight?"

"Kill," the blood king explained quietly. "There has to be another w-"

"There isn't," the Valkyrie cut him off. "The problem is that Bo refuses to do it."

"You already tried," Stella realized.

"Tamsin, are you sure…" Trick started.

"I have never been surer of anything," she insisted, "I told her it was the only way. But she has to be the one to do it and she won't, there's just no reasoning with her."

Kenzi 's expression softened as she sat down on the couch next to the detective. "No, even with these stakes, Bo would never kill someone she cared about, and she's made it abundantly clear that she cares about you."

"She has to do it," Tamsin lamented.

"She won't," Hale cut in. "You know Bo, there'll be no talking her into it."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"But… she could be _tricked_ into it," Stella offered.

The Valkyrie perked up. "Start talking," she demanded.

Bo and Dyson returned to find the group sitting around a booth in reasonably good spirits.

"Good news," Trick announced, "Stella has an audience with Odin next week. They've agreed to reconsider Tamsin's orders."

"That's great!" Dyson exclaimed. Kenzi and Hale nodded encouragingly.

"We're not out of the woods yet," the Valkyrie smiled hesitantly, "but yes, it means we are free to leave the Dal for the time being."

Bo felt a wave of relief wash over her; she made a beeline for Tamsin and wrapped her arms around her. The Valkyrie blushed and furtively wiped a tear from her eye as she leaned into the hug. _That she's so sweet only makes this harder._

"So, is this somehow connected to those birds?" the brunette asked, pointing out the window to two large falcons sitting on the fence across the parking lot. "They've been following us ever since we left the house."

"They're definitely from Asgard," the detective answered, "they're probably here to keep an eye on you until Stella's hearing with Odin." _They're here to watch over you until they take you, seven days from now, _she shuddered, exchanging a knowing look with Stella.

"This calls for a drink," Trick interjected as he poured a tall glass of vodka for Tamsin and pint of ale for his granddaughter.

The Valkyrie drained her glass in one gulp. "Well, now that this business is on the back burner, I actually have an errand to run," she informed Bo.

"What kind of errand?" the succubus inquired, sipping her beer.

"I have to make a little trip up north to take care of some unfinished business."

"That's not cryptic at all," Bo observed sarcastically.

Tamsin smiled. "Sorry, it's just habit… I need another injection from Massimo to keep me strong. He's staying at a cabin about a day's drive away."

Though she was not a fan of the druid, Bo couldn't argue. She remembered the kitsunes' revelation that the Valkyrie was at the end of her life cycle. "I'll go with you," she volunteered.

"I… okay..." the detective sputtered nervously. _She's so cute_, Bo thought to herself.

"I have to leave now though, are you sure you don't want to stay and catch up with your goth sister in arms?"

"Kenzi is busy basking in her new-found romance. She and I can handle a day apart. Besides, I already have a bag packed."

"Okay, let's hit the road then," Tamsin told her. She felt guilty lying to Bo, yet also pleased that she was so keen to join her. She recovered her duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Call if you need anything," Trick told them as they were leaving. Kenzi hugged Bo and then surprised her by hugging the Valkyrie too. "Be safe, Tammy Fae," she said.

"You bet, small pint," the blonde assured her.

"Wow, someone certainly seems to have made peace with you," the succubus noted.

"I guess the chance that you're off the hook has her dialing the hatred down a notch," Tamsin suggested, "plus, all that siren nookie must have put her in a better mood."

"You're evil, " Bo grinned as punched her on the arm.

"That was established a long time ago, succubus."

_You kept the truth from her for months, what's another few days?_ the Valkyrie sighed to herself as she unlocked her truck.


	6. Chapter 6

Time passed very quickly as they drove north along the winding highway. Bo shared the story of the day she found out she was fae and refused to align herself with the light or the dark. "You made the right call, succubus. Neither side deserves you," Tamsin concluded. "No offense to your light brethren," she added. Bo felt her heart flutter at the compliment. There was no denying that the Valkyrie's respect meant a great deal to her.

After sharing a few tales from the Napoleonic Wars, Tamsin decided that it wouldn't hurt to return to the uncomfortable topic of the succubus killing her in order to break the curse. She wanted Bo to make the decision herself, instead of having to be tricked into it.

"Bo, I know Casey and Amanda told you the reason why I'm so weak."

Thinking back to her conversation with the kitsunes, the brunette's face fell, "They said you're…"

"Dying," the detective finished. "Valkyries naturally expire every thousand years or so. We slowly weaken until finally we are killed, usually in battle. Last time around I died of tetanus after the Battle of Hastings. It wasn't pretty. Lots of fever and spasms."

"Jesus Christ. Then you're simply reborn?" Bo asked hesitantly.

"After we die we are taken to a sanctuary in Valhalla where we are able to rest and recover from the pains of our past lives," Tamsin explained.

"How long do you stay in the sanctuary?"

"As long as we want, but most are eager to return to the world at full strength. Last time I only stayed in the sanctuary for a few weeks, but… those who suffer the curse usually stay longer. Some stay years, decades, even centuries in order to cleanse the body and mind of lingering emotions." She spied the falcons trailing the vehicle out the corner of her eye. "I am going to die very soon, Bo. If Odin and Stella don't come to some kind of accord, those birds following us will probably swoop in to ensure I pay for my failure to deliver you with a slow and painful death." The succubus closed her eyes, cringing at the idea.

"But if you do it," Tamsin went on, "You can just take my chi; I won't suffer and you won't be marked anymore. It's two birds with one stone. That's why I asked you-"

"I can't," the brunette asserted without hesitation.

"Just think about it," the blonde urged her, though she knew it was time to drop the subject.

"I don't want you to die, Tamsin," the succubus breathed; she swallowed a lump forming in her throat.

"Me neither," the Valkyrie whispered. "I'm sorry for raising such a morbid subject," she offered, squeezing her hand. Bo wiped her eyes and stifled a sniffle.

Tamsin ran her thumb over Bo's knuckle. "I guess the downside of being a succubus is that you soothe people with your touch but no one can return the favor."

Bo smiled at the detective and kissed her hand, "Oh Valkyrie, your touch is nothing short of lovely." Tamsin turned beet red. "God, you're adorable," the succubus finally said aloud.

The Valkyrie looked away as her cheeks grew even redder. "Well… oh look, there's the turnoff. We're almost there," she stammered, pointing to a road sign. Bo couldn't help but giggle at the shyness she was seeing from someone who had pushed her up against a wall the day they met, promising to kick her cute little ass.

The druid's cabin was more of a sprawling chalet than a cabin; it was actually bigger than Bo's house in Toronto and more sturdily built. "I guess being a druid pays well," Bo commented.

"Yeah. It's like being a mix between a pharmacist and a drug dealer; lucrative business," Tamsin told her.

They found Massimo on the back deck fiddling with the barbecue; he was surprised to see the Valkyrie had yet again brought the succubus with her. "Ladies, what a pleasant surprise, what can I get for you this evening? Or did you come all this way for my enchanting company?" The succubus rolled her eyes.

"I need another boost; but something stronger this time. I was thinking along these lines," Tamsin indicated, passing him a note with details Stella had written down for her.

He scanned the note expressionlessly and glanced up at the falcons, who were now perched on the edge of his roof. "Simple enough. Why don't you come in and I'll whip that up for you. Can you watch the barbecue, succubus?"

"Her name is _Bo_," Tamsin scolded as she slid the back door closed behind her. The brunette smiled and fixed her eyes on the druid's barbecue, coaching herself not to burn anything.

In the kitchen, Massimo locked eyes with the Valkyrie as he retrieved his mortar and pestle along with several different flasks. "Are you sure you know what you're doing, blondie? I don't know what you're planning with a dissemblance compound, but you do know what a vitiation elixir will do to you, right?"

"Yes," she hissed quietly, "but she doesn't need to know." She removed her blue leather jacket and reached into its pocket, producing a small pouch of ingredients Stella had given her. "I was told to bring you this and you would have everything else."

"I guess you were right Tamsin, love _will_ get you killed," he replied. "Of all the Valkyries I have known, I never would have predicted _you_ would take this path."

"Me neither," she muttered, staring at Bo as she stood by innocently outside, totally unaware of the Valkyrie's plan. "Then I met _her._"

Tamsin went out to check on Bo as the druid mixed the concoctions.

"So I only burned maybe half of these skewers, which Kenzi would tell you is pretty good given my record."

The Valkyrie chuckled, "I have in fact heard the legends of your cooking; they say your fridge is plastered with takeout menus, your recycle bin laden with pizza boxes, and your cupboards full of plastic cutlery and single serving hot sauce packets. "

"Guilty as charged. I've always been more skilled with knives _out _of the kitchen."

"I see you like your meat well-done," the druid observed as he stepped out onto the deck, "Care to join me for dinner?" He handed Tamsin a syringe along with her jacket; a new rune jar was waiting for her in the pocket. They feasted on charred kebabs and drank homemade wine by a fire as the sun set. Massimo showed them a few alchemist magic tricks and he and Tamsin argued over which era was truly the golden age of Russian vodka. Sensing that he was a third wheel, the druid finally he told them where to find the guest room and left them alone.

The two women sat across from each other, heating their hands on the fire between them as they listened to it crackle. Tamsin couldn't see the falcons in the pitch-dark, but she could feel their presence.

"Do you remember when you told me I didn't kill the blonde hottie, that some lady with six fingers did?" Bo asked out of the blue.

"Yes," Tamsin replied reluctantly.

"I asked you about the dark fae in a coma," the succubus continued.

"Yes."

"And you deflected … right before you got into the tub with me."

"I was more sauced that day than usual; I'm sorry I invaded your bathtub. Very bad manners."

"I don't regret that you did," the succubus informed her, "But you still didn't answer my question, Tamsin. What happened to the dark fae in a coma?"

"He died," she said quietly, avoiding Bo's gaze as she stared into the flames licking at the firewood.

"How?"

"Evony ordered me to wake him from his coma -Valkyries can do that- so that I could question him, and it was too much for his mind to handle. So technically _I_ killed him." The Valkyrie dreaded where this was going but she couldn't bear to tell yet another falsehood.

"He identified the person who attacked him, didn't he?"

The detective nodded.

"It was me, wasn't it?"

Tamsin sighed. "You weren't yourself, Bo; it happened before the Dawning. You were devolving."

Bo frowned, pained by the confirmation of her suspicion.

"When did you wake him? When did he identify me?" she continued.

"After we rescued Kenzi from the cave."

The succubus took a moment to process this information. "You obviously didn't tell the Morrigan, otherwise she'd have had me in chains in a heartbeat."

Tamsin looked into her eyes and shook her head. "I've been on her shit list ever since."

"You were right that I was guilty. Why not turn me over?"

"Because by then I realized you weren't lying, you really didn't remember attacking him. And because…" she trailed off.

"Because what?"

"Because when we were in the woods looking for Kenzi I recognized you for who you were, who you are. You're not a coldblooded killer, Bo."

"I'm a monster who drained a stranger until he was comatose," she retorted, her voice full of shame.

"Bo, I've been around for a long time. I've seen more monsters than you can imagine and I can assure you, you don't fit the bill. A monster wouldn't have a conscience: a monster wouldn't be sitting here worrying about being a monster."

"You know I killed my first love," Bo revealed, as if it were a badge of dishonor.

"On purpose?"

The brunette shook her head.

"Then how long will you spend punishing yourself for that, succulet? It was obviously an accident."

The succubus opened her mouth to respond but found she couldn't argue with the Valkyrie's point. She hadn't meant to hurt Kyle.

Tamsin rose from her seat and began pacing in the dirt, exasperated. "I can't even believe we're having this conversation. You know, there was a time when I wished you _were_ a monster, when I would have given anything for that to be the case. When I stepped into that bath with you I resented you for the fact that you _aren't._"

Bo thought back to the way the blonde had asked, _why do you have to be so perfect?_ She'd felt confused at the time by the Valkyrie's annoyed tone.

"Why did you wish that?"

"Because if you _were_ that monster I set out to catch, I could have given you to the Morrigan without a second thought. You wouldn't be cursed right now; I wouldn't have been assigned the impossible task of delivering you. Don't you get it?" she blurted, "If you weren't the closest thing to perfect that I have ever encountered I wouldn't have fallen in love with you."

The Valkyrie froze and her eyes widened as she realized what she had just said aloud. Though she had been forced to reveal her feelings the day before, this proclamation was so... raw. Bo studied her expression for a moment, registering the detective's words. Her own feelings crystallized as she looked into the other woman's blue eyes. Then she stood and took two slow steps toward Tamsin, her heart brimming with love. The succubus brushed her hair behind her ear, placed her hand to her cheek and leaned in, bringing their mouths together. At first she kissed Tamsin very softly, savoring her supple lips; then she deepened the kiss, pulling her closer. The Valkyrie reciprocated with passion, letting out a blissful sigh as she yielded into Bo's arms. After a few minutes, she remembered that the falcons were watching overhead and broke the kiss. She took the succubus's hand and led her into the cabin.


	7. Chapter 7

Tamsin lit an oil lamp and set it on the dresser, turning to face Bo, who sat on the bed pulling off her boots, staring back at the Valkyrie with a smoldering look on her face. The detective was tempted to pinch herself; she could barely believe that this was really happening. "Come here," the succubus beckoned, and she complied, kicking off her shoes as she approached the bed. Bo stood and gazed into her pale blue eyes as she took off the blonde's jacket and tossed it aside. She grazed Tamsin's cheeks with her lips before trailing open-mouthed kisses down her jaw to her neck. The detective felt her skin quiver at the sensation of the succubus's tongue; she emitted a shallow gasp as Bo reached her collarbone.

"Don't be nervous," the brunette breathed as she undid the buttons of the Valkyrie's shirt, one by one. She slipped it off and pulled her own tank top over her head, leaning in to kiss the blonde once more, exploring her mouth with her tongue. Tamsin reached her hand around to unhook the succubus's bra, whipping it off and onto the floor; Bo followed suit, removing hers. She lowered the Valkyrie onto the bed, delighting in the feeling of Tamsin's bare breasts pushed up against her own. Moving down, she took one of the detective's hard nipples in her mouth while squeezing the other between her fingertips. "Oh God," the blonde husked. Bo smiled and felt her eyes flash blue. She took her time teasing the detective's nipples, feeling the other woman's heart rate accelerate as she grew increasingly aroused.

She ran her hands down Tamsin's taut stomach and traced her fingers over the edge of her jeans before undoing the button; the Valkyrie lifted her hips so Bo could pull her pants off with greater ease. The succubus ran her tongue up and down her lover's waist and nuzzled her hipbone as she gripped her underwear and tugged them off too. Bo took a moment to behold her lover's body in the lamplight. "God, you're stunning," she sighed. Tamsin's cheeks flushed red; she had received such compliments from many a sexual partner but this was the first one that really touched her.

Bo continued teasing the other woman's inner thighs, reveling in her impatient moans. Finally she traced her tongue over her lover's clit, sending mild pulses of charm as she went. Her eyes flashed blue again: the Valkyrie's taste only further whetted her appetite. She moaned as she suppressed her desire to feast on the blonde's chi, afraid of taking too much. Tamsin arched her body forward, groaning as Bo quickened the pace of her strokes. When she sensed she was close to coming she pulled Bo up to kiss her. The succubus let her fingers take over where her tongue had left off. As the Valkyrie reached orgasm Bo intensified her pleasure with her charm, whispering in her ear, "I love you too, Tamsin." The Valkyrie sighed and pulled her into a passionate kiss, unable to convey how moved she felt to hear it.

Still catching her breath, Tamsin went to remove her lover's pants and was pleased to find that as Bo had promised the other day, she wasn't wearing underwear. Now naked, the succubus straddled Tamsin, who sat up and kissed her neck while slowly moving her hand between Bo's legs. "Fuck, you're wet," she moaned. She teased the brunette, letting the anticipation build before she finally entered her. The succubus bit her lip, trying with little success to muffle a deep moan. Pumping her fingers in and out, the detective rubbed the other woman's clit with her palm and leaned in to nuzzle her nipple. Bo adjusted her position so that she could touch Tamsin at the same time, sliding two fingers into her only to find she was now even wetter than before. A series of expletives escaped the blonde as Bo's fingers moved in and out of her; when Bo felt she was on the verge of orgasm she gave the Valkyrie a forceful pulse of charm; they came at the same time and collapsed together onto the bed. They stared at each other as they both caught their breath.

"You're unbelievable," the Valkyrie said, still overwhelmed with emotion.

"So are you."

"But you didn't feed, did you? I seem to remember you being quite taken with the taste of my chi."

"You remember correctly, and I was incredibly tempted but I didn't want to weaken you; I want to keep you around."

"I can handle it, Bo. I'm a big g-"

But the succubus silenced her with a kiss, and she let it go. Exhausted, they drifted off to sleep.

Tamsin woke the next morning to find herself nestled comfortably in Bo's arms. The succubus was already awake; she had been admiring the way the Valkyrie's golden hair glowed in the sunlight peeking in through the curtains. "Good Morning," Bo whispered.

"The best," Tamsin replied sleepily, kissing the succubus's forehead. In all her years, she'd never slept so well. She took a moment to regard Bo, who looked beautiful as ever even with tousled hair.

"Tamsin, you know I meant what I said last night, right?" the brunette asked.

The detective made a confused face.

"When I said 'I love you', I meant it," Bo explained. "It wasn't just the heat of the moment."

The Valkyrie smiled, "Yes, Bo. I trust you wouldn't say it if you didn't mean it."

"Good, I just wanted to be clear on that. The more I get to know you, the more my feelings deepen." Tamsin blushed and the succubus ran her hand through her hair, preparing to kiss her. Then they heard a clatter outside the door.

"Massimo…" Tamsin grumbled. "I totally forgot about him. We should probably get out of here."

"As loath as I am to see you put your clothes back on," Bo sighed, "it would be awkward to do what I'd like to do to you with a druid just outside the room." She raised an eyebrow, amused by the spike in the Valkyrie's aura.

"Not fair succulet," the blonde complained as she rounded up her clothes. The succubus smirked back at her.

Strolling into the kitchen, Tamsin half expected the druid to greet her with a suggestive barb.

"Good morning, blondie. Did you sleep well? I slept like a rock." The subtext: _I heard nothing_.

"You're being eerily decent, druid," she observed suspiciously, " No douchey comments? What gives?"

He waited to respond until he was sure the succubus was out of earshot. "You're on death row, blondie. Now is not the time for teasing." She nodded at him nervously.

"If she loves you," he continued, "I don't think she'll ever forgive you for what you're about to do."

Tamsin felt a pang in her stomach. "I know but it's not like I have much choice."

"No, I suppose you don't with that curse. Maybe I'll see you in your next life?"

"Maybe," Tamsin hesitated. "Thanks for everything, Massimo. I really mean it."

"Say hi to Acacia for me."

"I will," she promised.

Exiting the cabin, the Valkyrie glared at the falcons as she patted the syringe and the rune jar in her jacket pocket. _Death row indeed._

"Stay with me this week," the succubus proposed as they pulled out of the druid's driveway. "Stay at my place instead of in your truck."

"Okay," Tamsin agreed with a dopey smile. She felt torn between bliss at Bo's company and guilt over her well-intentioned dishonesty.

Bo's phone buzzed with a text; it was the first time it had since they'd left the day before. "Trick says that Vex has imprisoned Evony and he's now acting as the Morrigan."

"Can't say I'm sorry to hear of her downfall," the detective chuckled.

"I wonder who'll be the new Ash now that Hale is out of the picture."

"I'm guessing an unscrupulous power monger, they flock to those roles."

"Ugh, you're right. And this means there'll be another 'stag hunt,'" Bo realized, remembering the barbaric pageantry surrounding Lochlyn's inauguration.

"It's ironic that we think so highly of ourselves when we are possibly even more cruel and violent than the humans we feed off," Tamsin commented.

"A Dark fae with sympathy for humans?" Bo asked, "You're full of surprises, Valkyrie."

"I told you before, I only pledged to the Dark to avoid spending time with fae I might fall in love with. Valkyries can't help but feel a connection to humans, not when we escort honorable human warriors to Valhalla," She took Bo's hand. "They're like you, but without fae powers."

The succubus intertwined their fingers. "And when you take them, they're dying?"

Tamsin's expression grew more serious. "Yes, we take those who are worthy when they are finally mortally wounded. It's pretty… intense."

"That sounds hard."

"It is, especially because more often than not, the noblest warriors lose their battles against tyrants. When they leave, their causes are often lost. That's certainly the tendency on this fair continent," she added, thinking of Acacia and Tecumseh.

"Are they happy in Valhalla?" Bo asked.

"It varies from person to person. Most are proud to be honored there, but they all mourn the loss of connection to this world."

"I don't get Asgard any more than I get fae custom, it all seems so pointlessly cruel."

"I used to get it," Tamsin told her. "I never even questioned it until …" _Until I met you_, she thought.

_Until you met me_: the succubus smiled as she finished Tamsin's sentence in her head.


	8. Chapter 8

"Look who's back," Dyson called to Bo and Tamsin as they came sauntering into the Dal after their long day's drive. The blonde scanned the area to see Trick and Stella whispering together by the bar; Hale and the wolf were in the midst of a game of pool. Kenzi was nursing an oversized mug of beer at the sidelines, offering wisecracks to her giggling boyfriend. The succubus grinned at the sight of them.

"Did you run into any problems?" Trick gestured for his granddaughter to take a seat at the counter.

"Nope, it was quite the opposite," Bo informed him. He couldn't help but note that she was practically glowing.

"So you two had a nice trip?"

"Yeah, we really did," she replied, smiling and placing her hand over the Valkyrie's. Tamsin looked down at the counter sheepishly.

"I see." The blood king took a moment to process this information. He finally nodded kindly at the detective and poured her a tall glass of vodka. "I'm glad to hear it."

"And you got what you needed from your druid friend?" Stella inquired in as neutral a tone as possible.

"Yeah, I'm set. At least for now." The Valkyrie assured them, exchanging knowing glances with both Stella and Trick. Her expression conveyed a conflicted mix of joy at Bo's affection and heartbreak over what they were keeping from her. _She's really nervous about Odin's decision_, the succubus thought to herself.

"Officer Slamsin," Dyson beckoned from across the room, "Might I convince you to join me in a game of pool against these two? I'm short a partner."

"You might, if you agree to never call me by that name again so long as you shall live," the detective warned, going over to join them. Bo followed and hugged the others before returning to sit at the counter as they played. Her grandfather wandered into the back to check on a keg. Glancing over at the blonde as she concentrated on her first shot, Bo leaned toward Stella. "Tamsin says if you don't make some kind of deal with Odin, those birds will come for us," she began, speaking in a hushed tone.

The elder fae nodded. "Those birds are other Valkyries, Bo, and they will eventually come for her. You don't want to get swept up in that, or worse, have them take you to Valhalla."

"How would I protect her from them? What do I do when they make their move?" the succubus asked.

Stella looked thoughtful. "They only transform into birds to observe their marks; they will have to change back into human form before attacking. If you can't see those birds lingering out the window, that will signal danger."

"Okay..."

"When they confront you, it is essential that you do not give them the chance to overwhelm you with doubt or they will easily kill you both. Tamsin is at the end of her life cycle; younger Valkyries are much more powerful, more than you can imagine."

"So what do I do?" the succubus repeated.

"If you see a stranger darkening her face as if to use her power of doubt, do not hesitate to drain her chi –all of it, right away. It's the only defense you have."

The succubus absorbed her words. "And what happens if they manage to take her?"

"I'm afraid that if Tamsin is returned to Valhalla there'll be no recovering her. Few can enter Asgard without a Valkyrie as escort."

"You can."

"Yes, but I can't bring others with me. Look… Bo, I know you care for her, but-"

"I _love_ her," the brunette asserted.

Stella sighed, recognizing the earnestness in the younger woman's voice. "Even if you do love her, it is _inevitable_ that the two of you will be torn apart. If you're not careful, you may be torn from Trick and the others too. I know that the idea of harming Tamsin seems impossible to you but-"

"I appreciate the advice Stella, I really do," Bo interrupted, "but I can't do that. I've already made that clear to her several times."

"She just wants you to be safe, Bo."

"I know. But I want her to be safe with me."

"That's not an option. You need to be realistic-"

"Thank you, Stella. You've been a huge help," the succubus cut her off, sliding off the stool so she could join the others.

Trick reappeared. "She didn't budge, did she?" he asked.

"Not an inch," Stella confirmed.

"She will never forgive us for this, but it's the only way."

"So, how many humans have you whisked away to Asgard?"

"Kenzi! That's a very personal question!" Hale reprimanded the human.

But Tamsin was warmed to see Bo's roommate taking a friendly interest in her. "In this lifetime, it numbers up in the hundreds. The average Valkyrie only escorts someone every year or two."

"Anyone I would know? Like Hercules?"

The Valkyrie laughed. "Well, a few decades ago I did take a guy you'd probably recognize. Ernesto Guevara ring any bells?"

"Who?"

"You know, dude in the beret. Designs t-shirts for angry youth," Bo chimed in.

Kenzi's jaw dropped as she fumbled her shot. "Che?"

"Yep. And those shirts are more than a little creepy. I'll never forget the first time I saw a random American teenager wearing one in a mall," Tamsin shuddered. "Don't let me down Dyson," she instructed her partner as she passed him the pool cue before heading off to the washroom. The succubus watched her walk away with a hungry look in her eyes.

"Whoa there, blue eyes. Something in her blouse got you feeling so aroused? You're staring at Detective Frownysnark like she's a meal."

"I thought we talked about this, Kenz. No more Kanye lyrics in reference to my sex life."

"Yeah, yeah. Cut to the chase, did you two… hook up?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"Yeah, we did."

"And?"

"And it was amazing. _She's_ amazing. I don't know how to explain it, but we actually kind of _get _each other."

"She can't stick around, Bo. You know that."

"Can we not have this conversation, Kenzi? I just want to be with her and I'm hoping Stella will find a way to change Odin's mind."

_Oh, honey_, the human thought, _that isn't going to happen. _"You guys can have our humble abode all to yourselves for the next few days. I'll be spending most of my time at Hale's house."

"You mean in Hale's bedroom," Bo teased.

"You're going to have a lot of fun with this, aren't you?"

The succubus nodded with a grin. Across the bar she could hear Tamsin's voice. "Not interested buddy. Time to back off. I promised Trick I wouldn't assault anyone in this bar, but I've been known to break my promises." A burly, heavily intoxicated man was leering at the Valkyrie and trying to block her as she made her way back to her friends.

Bo sidled up and stepped between them, shielding the blonde. "Let's get out of here," she invited seductively.

"An offer I can't refuse." Tamsin put her arm around the brunette, ignoring the creep. They waved to Trick and Dyson and wandered out into the parking lot.

As she fished in her pocket for her truck keys, Tamsin felt the unwelcome grip of her drunken admirer on her shoulder. She turned toward him. "I thought I made myself pretty clear asshole, so kindly take your hand off me before I break it for you."

"All the hottest ones play hard to get," he slurred, shoving her hard against the truck door. She anxiously reached to verify that the druid's rune jar and syringe hadn't been damaged.

"You did not just-" But before Tamsin could act she heard a whack and the creep's body crumpled to the ground. The succubus stared down at him, pleased with her handiwork.

"Well, I guess chivalry isn't dead after all," the Valkyrie blushed.

"Says the woman who jumped in front of a bullet for me."

"Whatever, Hotpants, that was different..." Tamsin started.

Bo rolled her eyes. "Get in the truck, Valkyrie."

xxxxx

Thanks for the reviews and to the Guest who reminded me to change the rating. For the record I'm Canadian, not British. I can see the confusion though because we often mix British and American spelling etc. I was actually thinking of introducing Vex into the story at some point but I'm leery about butchering the requisite British turns of phrase. I would put more Toronto references in but I'm not from that neck of the woods so I don't know the city too well. Thanks again for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

"Are you sure it's okay with Kenzi if I stay here?" Tamsin asked as they dumped her duffel bags on the kitchen floor. The Valkyrie appreciated the human's recent kindness toward her and didn't want to overstep.

Bo opened some wine and passed her a glass. "Definitely. She even said we could have the place to ourselves. Unless of course, you're itching to get back to that comfy truck." The succubus took a swig of wine straight from the bottle.

"Careful hotpants, don't be dissing the truck."

"How long have you lived in that truck?" Bo asked cautiously. She was curious but didn't want to offend.

"Off and on since the nineties. I rarely stay in one location long enough to get a real place. I realize it seems like I'm roughing it but I've also stayed in caves and slept in trees so for me a truck's not actually that bad."

"_Trees?_" the succubus giggled incredulously.

Tamsin shrugged. "Sleep in a tree and you're safely hidden and out of reach. It's practical."

Bo pictured the Valkyrie nestled in a tall tree. "And I thought squatting in shacks was hardcore."

The detective downed her wine and set the glass aside. "Well succulet, being unaligned is pretty hardcore so don't sell yourself short," she said warmly.

"You'll probably hate being told this but you're actually very sweet, Tamsin."

The detective blushed. "You're the first person who's ever suggested it. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm kind of a bitch."

"Yeah, but that's a front. You're only a bitch because you want to make it hard for people to love you."

The blonde looked Bo in the eye. "Valkyries _are_ difficult to love, Bo. It's in our nature."

"Really?" the succubus whispered, "Because in your case I'd be lying if I said it wasn't easy."

Tamsin smiled as she absorbed the compliment. Bo's knack for dismantling her barriers without warning had bothered her in the past, but she'd come to appreciate it over the past few days. Without breaking eye contact, the Valkyrie walked slowly toward the brunette and took the wine bottle from her hand, setting it on the counter behind them. Then she faced the succubus, slid her hands around her waist, and closed the space between them.

When Tamsin had kissed Bo in Brazenwood, her own spontaneity had taken her by surprise; this was the first time since that day that she had allowed herself to make the first move. This kiss was different though; slow and deliberate. She had quit trying to deny her feelings, and she finally recognized that Bo felt the same way.

Charmed to see the shy Valkyrie take the lead, the succubus slid her hands under her shirt as she leaned into the kiss. Tamsin tasted like a rich mix of wine and her powerful chi; while the succubus yearned to feed from her she also felt totally in control of her appetite, as she had more and more since the Dawning. She deepened the kiss without fearing that she would get carried away. She ran her hands through Tamsin's blonde locks, aroused as she inhaled the natural perfume of her hair. "Come on, Valkyrie," Bo purred, tugging on the detective's hand to lead her up the stairs.

It was the first time Tamsin had set eyes on Bo's bedroom since the day many months ago when Evony's parasite had shut down their inhibitions and they'd bonded like teenagers. Now that her memory of that evening had returned to her she looked fondly over at the spot on the floor where she and the succubus had shared their first kiss during spin-the-bottle. Even then they had been drawn to each other.

The detective yanked her tank top over her head, leaving the succubus to peel off her bra before she moved to return the favor. She crashed their lips together in a rough kiss while maneuvering Bo onto the bed. Then Tamsin dropped down to nuzzle her way up the brunette's stomach and tease the area around a nipple before taking it into her mouth. After provoking several light gasps, she undid the other woman's pants and slid them off. Looking up to see the succubus's eyes flash blue in approval, the blonde took her time grazing Bo's thighs with her tongue to warm her up before finally reaching her clit. "God you taste good. Perfect, in fact," she declared. The brunette let out a deep moan and pushed her hips forward; Tamsin found herself sighing in response as she continued pleasuring Bo with her tongue. As she neared her climax, the succubus seized one of the Valkyrie's hands and unleashed several powerful waves of charm into her palms. The blonde moaned loudly and it wasn't long before Bo's orgasm crashed over her. She pulled Tamsin up to kiss her and rested a moment before flipping the Valkyrie onto her back. The blonde bit her lip as the succubus tore her pants off.

"My turn."

"Don't hold back."

"I won't," the succubus promised.

"Well, well, well," announced a familiar voice, "Is there anyone in your little entourage that you haven't done the nasty with, succubus?"

Having been up most of the night, Bo and Tamsin had slept well into the afternoon. They lay entwined naked on the bed when the mesmer walked in. Spotting Vex in the doorway, the succubus cursed and yanked a sheet over them both.

"Do you always barge into people's bedrooms uninvited?" Tamsin grumbled with indignation.

"Yes," Bo and Vex responded in unison.

"I'm genuinely impressed succubus," he trilled. "Not only did you bed the Valkyrie, you made her the little spoon!"

"Uh, hello? Who _wouldn't_ let her make them the little spoon?" the detective sneered back.

"DOWNSTAIRS. NOW," Bo growled. Vex giggled as he skipped down the stairs. She hopped out of bed and opened her closet to find a kimono, then tossed another to Tamsin, who wandered into the bathroom.

"Hey Bo, where's the toothpaste?" the blonde called.

"In the footlocker!" Vex cheerfully informed her.

"Do you still have that leopard-print kimono I was so fond of?" Vex asked the succubus as she entered the kitchen. She ignored the question.

"Care to explain what the hell you're doing in my house?"

"I still had a key, didn't I? Relax, love, I made coffee," he chirped, passing her a cup.

"What do you want, Vex?"

"Bo, you wound me. We're buddies, aren't we? I took care of Evony and I got a fine promotion and you haven't even come by to congratulate me."

"I've been busy."

"I see," the mesmer remarked, gesturing toward the stairs. "You sure do know how to keep busy."

"Well, my sincerest congratulations on becoming king of the Dark fae. Shouldn't you be taking care of some Morrigan business instead of invading my personal space?"

"That's just the thing my dear, you _are_ Morrigan business today."

"I'm not Dark fae, Vex; I'm not in your jurisdiction."

"You've never liked the fae divide, but what if the leaders of Light and Dark could be pals?"

"That sounds perfectly charming but I don't see how this concerns me. Why not take this up with the new Ash?"

"You're right, this is a chat I should be having with the next Ash; but you see, I was hoping the next Ash could be _you_."

Bo grimaced in confusion. "I'm not Light fae, Vex. That kind of disqualifies me from being their leader."

"Your grandfather is Light. Your wolf is Light. We both know you prefer the Light, and hey, I don't take it personally, it suits you. Think of it; the last two Ashes before your Siren friend were terrible. They abused your doctor; they were corrupt and self-serving. Don't you want to see an Ash who is fair and genuinely wants peace for all fae and humans alike? That could be you. We could work together."

Bo pulled some butter and eggs from the fridge. "I don't want that kind of power and I don't want to align myself with either side. Besides, you and I get along so well now, and I don't want to complicate that."

"You will have to pick a side sometime, succubus. I'm saying do it now and you'll come out in the best possible position to-"

"Look, I really appreciate that you broke into my house to proposition me like this, but I have some pancakes to burn for the Dark fae detective upstairs. You know, the one I would be forbidden from being with if I pledged to the Light."

"Hold up, she doesn't _love_ you, does she? Because Valkyries-"

"Bye Vex. I know about the Valkyrie's curse and my love life is none of your business."

"Alright then, I'll leave it for now," he concluded diplomatically, "TTYL and hugs to Kenzi…"

Bo looked up to see the Valkyrie perched at the top of the stairs; she'd heard the whole conversation.

"Your Dear Leader is sure full of bright ideas; do you think he was actually serious?" the brunette sighed.

"Oh yeah, he'll be one to watch out for."

"The idea that a person who rejects the fae two-party system would want to become one of its leaders is a little far fetched."

"I don't know about that. Many people who once despised authority end up succumbing to the lure of power, but then again, you're not many people."

"I have zero interest in joining either side."

"Therein lies his problem."

"Why? It's not like I've declared war on the fae order, I just don't want to be a part of it. When will they get used to that?"

"Probably never. You've only been active in the fae world for a few years, and up until now, the fae leaders, with the exception of your friend the Siren, have likely been assuming that you were going to die soon enough working as a P.I. without the protection of either side."

Bo thought back to the patronizing attitude of the first Ash she'd met. He _had_ probably assumed she wouldn't last long. As did Trick and Dyson when they'd practically begged her to pledge to the Light.

"And?"

"And at some point it is going to dawn on them that you aren't going to disappear, that you _will_ survive unaligned. Evony certainly figured it out after hearing that you defeated the Garuda. Your existence outside either side is a major threat to their entire social order. What's going to happen when the next crop of fae tweens informs their elders that they don't want to pledge Light or Dark, they want to take after that famous unaligned succubus? The Light and Dark divide would implode."

"As it well should."

"Yes, as it well should. But think of what that will mean to the fae leaders. You may be adapting reasonably well to ridiculous fae traditions, but like your human, you would sooner dispense with all of it."

"I would."

"I know: that's what I love about you. You make your own rules and it sets you apart, even from Dyson and Trick. You weren't raised to believe in those laws, but most of the fae _are_ heavily invested in them, even freaks like Vex. They cling to the structure they've known for centuries and the power it affords them. They will go to great lengths to protect themselves from change, and you, Bo, are that change. The day will come when they'll want you killed, just to prove that no one may survive unaligned. That day may come soon or a long ways down the road, but it will come. Bottom line is, keep your wits about you and be ready for their endgame. Vex isn't going to drop this."

"You have a thing for no-nonsense warnings, don't you?"

"What can I say?" the Valkyrie shrugged, "I've been around and I suck at sugar-coating things."

"They sure as hell aren't going to kill me." Saying the words out loud, Bo realized she was absolutely certain of them.

Tamsin grinned. "Yeah, if I was a gambling woman my money would be on you."


	10. Chapter 10

"Aren't you hungry?" the Valkyrie asked Bo as they lay in bed the following afternoon.

"We just had Chinese food delivered like an hour ago. We could order more if you want-"

"No, I meant the other kind of hungry –_succubus hungry_. We've barely left your bed for days and you still haven't fed off me, even a little. Should I be taking this personally?"

"No, Tamsin, you know I love the way you taste," the brunette winked, "but as I've already explained, I don't want to take your chi given your …situation."

"Okay, I'm admittedly touched by your concern for my welfare, but if you won't feed from me, why not someone else? You must have some choice spots for quick feeds. If not, I know a Dark fae club that would make for a veritable succubus buffet."

"You're encouraging me to hook up with other people?" Bo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tamsin looked puzzled, "You're a succubus, Bo. That's kind of your thing."

"Wouldn't you feel bothered by it?"

"If you feed off some stud in a bar does it change the way you feel about me? And who would I be to demand that you not feed from anyone else? Would you ask Dyson not to wolf out? Would you ask me not to cast doubt, or to stay away from vodka? Of course not."

"I appreciate your point but I don't feel the need. Since the Dawning I've felt much greater control of my hunger and I don't weaken as easily between feeds. I promise I will go out and feed when I need it." She was distracted by her phone buzzing with a text. "Apparently we're invited for dinner at Hale's place."

"Isn't he from one of the rich Light clans?"

"Zamora, in fact. They are snooty as hell and I'm actually worried they're going to give Kenzi a hard time."

"So I guess we're going to have to put on our Sunday best?"

"I'll lend you something," the succubus grinned, pulling her in for a kiss.

They arrived at Hale's family estate as the sun set, clad in a pair of Bo's more formal dresses. "You clean up nice, Valkyrie," the brunette teased as they made their way up the steps. She'd dressed Tamsin in a blue number that clung to her in all the right places, accentuating her curves.

"And you…" the blonde began, looking the succubus up and down. Bo wore a muted black dress –the most conservative one she had in her closet, though that wasn't saying much. "You look…" Tamsin's voice trailed off but the sentiment was clear enough from the spike in her aura. Bo's face flushed as she rapped the silver doorknocker.

A butler showed them into the drawing room where their friends were waiting. The detective joined Hale by the bar while the human rushed over to the succubus; "Bo-bo!" she exclaimed, relieved to see her best friend. "This is the first time I'm meeting Hale's family again since we got together and I'm freaking out!"

"But you've been here for days."

"Yeah, but Hale lives in a separate guest house; this is the first time I've been back into the main mansion."

"Ah, so you _have_ spent all your time in his bedroom," she chuckled, a wicked smile spreading across her face.

"Now is not the time for teasing Bo!"

"Okay, okay. You need to relax, Kenz; Hale won't let them mistreat you."

"Here," the Valkyrie interrupted, handing the human a vodka tonic, "Settle those nerves."

"Only one drink," Hale warned, eyeing both Kenzi and Tamsin. "I can't have you guys sloshed at the dinner table." They both rolled their eyes, as Bo looked on amused.

Soon enough the butler led them into the dining hall to be seated. Clan Zamora's wealth was on full display; the table was set with crystal glasses, sterling silver utensils, and fine china. An obnoxious chandelier hung from the ceiling, and on the wall, in an ornate frame, there hung a painting of an ancestor who looked very much like Hale's father, Sturgis Santiago.

His sister Val glided into the room wearing a surprisingly friendly expression. "Kenzi, it's nice to see you again."

"You too, Val," the human responded nervously.

"Bo," the pombero continued, "How are you? Who is your companion? Another human friend of Kenzi's?"

The succubus frowned. _Of course she would ask that_. "This is Tamsin-"

"Yep, I'm human. I hope that won't be a problem for you," the Valkyrie jumped in, reaching to shake Val's hand. Bo kicked Tamsin under the table but Kenzi seemed amused.

"Of course not," Val assured her, "I've come to see that my previous attitude toward mortals was downright shameful."

Hale's father Sturgis entered, looking haughty as ever. "Bo, it's nice to see you again," he welcomed her. She stood to shake his hand. Mr. Santiago wasn't especially fond of the unaligned succubus but had a certain grudging respect for her: she had, after all, killed the cherufe that was stalking him the year before, along with the Garuda. "Hello… Kenzi," he winced.

"Mr. Santiago, thank you for inviting us to dinner," the human offered politely.

"Is that your charming truck I see parked out front, Kenzi?" he asked in a condescending tone.

"No sir, that's mine," the Valkyrie said, shaking his hand. "I'm Tamsin, Bo's…" she paused, unsure of how to label herself.

"Girlfriend," the succubus finished. Hale, Kenzi and Tamsin glanced at each other sadly. The blonde's expression softened as she looked back over at Bo, who reached under the table to hold her hand.

"You're not the human girlfriend who got involved with that horrible scientist, are you?" Val asked.

"No," Bo sighed, thinking of Lauren. "That was Lauren Lewis, and for the record she was tricked into working for Taft and she saved me and Dyson from him."

Servants arrived with the salad course; neither Kenzi nor Bo could remember which was the proper fork to use; both looked over to copy Hale.

"That was quite a catastrophe," Sturgis declared. "Humans are clearly not meant to know of our existence. It leads to incidents like that." Kenzi was silent; Bo and Tamsin were stone-faced but looked to see how the siren would respond.

"Fae prey on humans all the time, we're in no position to claim the moral high round here," Hale asserted.

"When the Garuda came, most of the fae hid under their beds yet Kenzi joined in the fight against him," Val reminded her father. "She's a very courageous person, human or not."

"Thanks sis," Hale smiled as he took Kenzi's hand in his.

"My son," Sturgis commented coldly, "One day he's the Ash; the next, unemployed and in love with a human."

Hale scowled but just as he and his father were about to erupt into argument, Val took away their voices. They both stared at her, mouths agape, then gestured in protest. "We aren't going to fight in front of guests," she told them, "And Father, if you disrespect Kenzi again I won't hesitate to take your voice. She's Hale's girlfriend now, so deal with it."

The men calmed down and she gave their voices back. "So, Tamsin, what do you do?" Val asked, hoping to change the subject.

"I'm a detective; I've been paired up with Dyson since Hale began acting as the Ash."

"They partnered him with a human? That's interesting."

"She's obviously not human, Val," Sturgis corrected her. He had been studying the blonde as the meal went on and saw through her earlier lie. "Judging by her Nordic features and that falcon at the window, I'd say she's a Valkyrie."

Tamsin shook her head guiltily, "Sorry, I just thought Kenzi might feel more comfortable if I posed as a human too. Strength in numbers."

Hale's sister nodded curtly, embarrassed to have been duped.

"I might disapprove of my son dating a human," Sturgis told Bo, "but romantic involvement with a Valkyrie –well, that's actually quite a dangerous game. There are rules about that kind of thing-"

"I've never been a fan of arbitrary rules," Bo reminded him.

He opened his mouth as if to respond but then decided against it. The detective looked down at her salad, unsure of what to say. Kenzi snapped up the bottle of wine on the table and poured more into Tamsin's glass. The Valkyrie offered her a smile of appreciation.

"Their relationship is their business, Father. Could we lay off the judgments for one evening?" Hale requested. Mr. Santiago looked pensive and finally nodded, realizing he was outnumbered.

The main course, a traditional beef Wellington, finally arrived at the table, and they managed to spend the rest of the meal discussing safer topics. Val told stories from her recent trip to Spain and shared a few appropriately embarrassing stories from Hale's childhood, including one involving a mermaid costume he had worn as toddler. When her friends finally got up to go, Kenzi seemed relatively relaxed; she might never get on easy with Hale's father, but his sister had clearly evolved into something of an ally.

While Bo and Hale lingered in the dining room to talk about Ash business, the Valkyrie cornered the human in the corridor. "Thank you for inviting me along to your dysfunctional in-law dinner. You've been very … generous to me these past few days."

"You're welcome Tamsin," the human replied warmly, "I was wrong about you earlier. I see now that you didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"I need you to give this to her," the detective instructed, pulling a sealed letter from her purse. "When it's… done."

"Of course," Kenzi reassured the blonde, "I can't imagine how hard this must be."

"She means more to me than anyone I've ever known," Tamsin sighed, looking into the human's eyes, "And yet here I am, about to break her heart."

"It's not like you had much choice in the ma-"

The Valkyrie shook her head. "Don't try to comfort me, Kenzi. I really don't deserve it."

"All ready to go?" Bo interrupted, sliding an arm around Tamsin from behind.

The blonde composed herself. "Yeah, why don't you drive?" she answered, passing over the keys.

"You're letting me behind the wheel of your precious baby?" the succubus teased with a hint of disbelief.

"You'll take good care of her."

"What if you got an apartment here?" the succubus asked as they were driving home.

"Are we planning my fictional future now? The one where I'm allowed to stay here?" The Valkyrie's sarcasm was tempered with sad affection.

"Indulge me, Tamsin. Stella still might able to-"

"Stella might still be able to negotiate a reprieve for _you,_ Bo." The succubus glanced over at the Valkyrie before turning her attention back to the road. The blonde had a guilty look on her face. "I will still have to leave you," Tamsin added mournfully. She popped open the glove box, retrieved a flask of vodka, and took a sip. She felt the creeping urge to numb herself as she considered the task that awaited her so soon.

Storm clouds had been gathering when they left Hale's place; rain began to fall as they pulled up to the shack and ran inside. Bo found a bottle of whisky and poured them each a glass. "What if you could stay? What if we woke up tomorrow and Odin had gotten rid of the curse altogether?"

The Valkyrie watched the rain trickling down the windowpanes and considered this fantasy. "If I could stay I would get a studio in town, maybe somewhere between here and the precinct." She took a sip of her whisky; Bo looked on expectantly. "You would come over after a long day getting yourself into trouble. I would cook for you and scold you for being a do-gooder and you would tease me and make me blush. Some days Kenzi would phone me up in the middle of the night because you'd been injured and I would rush to your side to heal you. And my chi would be so good it would make you delirious and we would spend days at a time in bed. And on other days I would go off to deliver some poor human warrior to Valhalla and when I returned feeling crushed by it, you would hold me and tell me everything was going to be okay."

Her tone was wistful and her eyes shone with tears. "You'd be sitting at the Dal in the evening and look over to the doorway and there I would be, strolling in with that smirk you see through so easily. But… that's not how it's going to be, Bo." Tamsin's voice cracked as she uttered the last sentence.

She looked over at the succubus, who was staring out the window as if in a daze.

"The birds," Bo muttered anxiously. She approached the window to get a better look. "The falcons are gone. Stella said…" but Tamsin missed the end of her sentence as the brunette rushed out the door, slamming it behind her. The Valkyrie followed her outside. Rain poured down as Bo marched around the house looking frantically for the falcons on the roof.

"They're gone!" she shouted when Tamsin caught up to her. "I can't see the birds, that means they've transformed into human form and they're coming for you!" She was starting to hyperventilate as she contemplated her next move. _This can't be it. I can't face this now._

Bo was shaking as the blonde took her in her arms. "It's okay, they've just gone for shelter from the rain. See over there?" She pointed across the alley where the two falcons had perched under a stoop to stay dry. Bo's breathing steadied when she registered the birds and she melted further into Tamsin's arms, relieved.

"I thought..."

"Shh... it's okay." The Valkyrie's eyes found Bo's; Bo could see they were full of pain and love, as they had been in the bathtub.  
The succubus leaned in to capture Tamsin's lips in a kiss that soothed them both and then led her back into the house.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Soon you will hate me… ;)


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: Be warned, I listened to Godspeed on a loop while I wrote this, so it's a little intense with the angst, but hopefully not too over the top. Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement; I hope the conclusion doesn't disappoint.

* * *

Freyja had given the succubus a week to settle her affairs before being taken to Valhalla and it was quickly coming to a close. Tamsin rose at dawn on the last day of this grace period. As the sunlight filtered into the room, she gazed at Bo, wanting to memorize every detail of her image. The Valkyrie refused to let herself cry; there would be time for that later. She quietly packed her things into the duffel bag and left it by the door before returning to make one last sweep of the bedroom. She was kneeling beside Bo to take one last look at her when the succubus stirred.

"Why are you awake so early? We were up all night, come back to bed," she demanded sleepily.

"The kitsunes called in a favor so I'm off to do a little job for them. It won't take long; sleep in and I'll be back in a couple of hours," Tamsin lied. She ran her fingers through Bo's hair and embraced her one last time, savoring her smell and the feel of her skin.

"Okay, see you later," Bo murmured as Tamsin kissed her softly on the forehead.

"I love you, Bo," she whispered reverently, knowing it would be the last time she got to say it.

"You too," the brunette sighed.

The detective felt an instinctive urge to climb back into bed. It took everything she had to stand up and walk out the door. _I have to do it; she'll be waking up in Asgard next week if I don't do this. They are all counting on me._

* * *

There was a chill in the air when Tamsin met Hale outside the shack. "Are you sure these things work on Valkyries?" he asked, passing her a tranquilizer gun.

"Drugs are drugs. All the same principles apply to us."

They stealthily located the falcons on the roof, near Bo's bedroom window. Taking aim at the exact same moment, the detectives shot the birds down and Tamsin went to retrieve them.

"Thank you, Hale, for everything," the Valkyrie told him as she loaded them into her truck. "Give my apologies to Dyson, I never gave him a proper goodbye."

"Of course."

"And please… take care of her," she managed to choke out.

"I promise we will."

She nodded back at the siren, who could see the heartbreak in her eyes. He stepped toward her and pulled her in for a heartfelt hug. She let out a heavy sigh, "Time for me to go."

"We all wish things were different, Tamsin," he told her as she walked toward the truck.

"Me too," she lamented.

* * *

The Valkyrie drove to the sorority house and sat for a moment in the parking lot, bracing herself for the task at hand. She glanced at the falcons laying unconscious in the backseat. Tamsin had to make the succubus believe that _she_ was one of the birds and she knew they wouldn't have agreed to collaborate with her. From the moment she'd seen them gliding through the air outside the Dal, she'd recognized the pair. They were two sister Valkyries she'd never gotten along with, sent specifically for that reason, no doubt. They'd be angry upon waking, but hey –at least she'd only used tranquilizer darts. She carried the slumbering birds over to the nearby ravine, setting them down safely under a bush where they would eventually regain consciousness.

Her heart full of dread, she trudged up the steps to the sorority house. Empty bottles of peach schnapps lay among the flowerpots, signaling to her that the kitsunes had held a party the night before. Tamsin frowned and shook her head at their shitty taste in liquor.

"God, Tam-Tam, why do we have to do this so early?" Casey had answered the door in her pyjamas, clearly hung over.

The blonde stepped past her into the house. "I had to leave while Bo was still sleeping, otherwise she would have wanted to come along."

"This is like, seriously intense, you know? I don't know why we agreed to this."

"Because I'm your friend, Casey," Tamsin reminded her in an unconvincing tone. "I can't do this at her house or at the Dal. I don't want her to have to revisit the place where she killed me." Her tone was stern, masking her sadness.

"Okay Tam-Tam, but you seriously owe us."

"I do. You can call on me for three favors in my next life," the Valkyrie swore to them.

"As if," Amanda scoffed, "You won't be coming anywhere near Toronto again in your next life, otherwise you'll run into the unaligned succubus and curse her all over again."

"You always were the clever one, Amanda. Here, why don't I give you a lock of my hair? It fetches a high price on the black market."

"Fine," Amanda grumbled, rooting around in a drawer until she found some scissors. She cut off a sizable lock of the Valkyrie's hair, which Casey deposited in a Ziploc bag and stuffed in a cupboard.

"Okay then, it's settled. Do you have the clothes I asked for?"

Casey handed her a bag from The Bay. "A spaghetti-strap tank top and a pleated skirt, both black, right? You hate skirts."

"That's the point. I have to wear something she won't associate with me to make the disguise work," the blonde explained as she dragged herself into the washroom.

Shutting the door, the detective changed into her new outfit and carefully unwrapped the syringe the druid had given her. _You have to do this, You have to do this, You have to do this,_ she repeated to herself as she injected the contents into her arm. A disorienting coldness passed through her and she leaned on the sink to steady herself, looking at her own face one last time with utter self-loathing as she uncorked the rune jar and downed the liquid inside. She felt a sudden pain, as if the molecules that made up her body were rearranging themselves. Her head throbbed and her veins burned. After a few minutes she looked back into the mirror, only to see a stranger staring back at her.

_Never give your heart away, Tamsin, or you will suffer for it. _Freyja's words echoed in her head once more. _She wasn't fucking kidding._

"Make the call," Tamsin coughed to Casey as she stepped into the living room. The kitsunes were stunned by her physical transformation and stood speechless for a moment before Casey went off into the kitchen to dial Bo. Amanda's eyes fell upon a leftover bottle of vodka sitting on the mantle. She brought it to the Valkyrie, who nodded at her gratefully and chugged the whole thing down at once. _Who am I kidding? All the vodka in the world couldn't prepare me for this, _Tamsin thought to herself as she stumbled up the stairs.

* * *

Bo woke to the sound of her phone buzzing; she had ignored it at first, hoping to sleep in longer, but whoever was calling was persistent. She didn't recognize the number on the screen.

"This better be important," she answered, still half-asleep.

"Bo! It's Casey," the fox fae announced hysterically, "Tamsin was just here at our place but someone came and took her!"

The succubus bolted out of bed. "I'll be right there," she replied, suddenly wide awake. Yanking on her pants, she scanned out the window: the birds were gone. A feeling of panic set in as she bounded down the stairs and jumped in the Camaro. Speeding through red lights, she frantically dialed Dyson as she neared her destination, but it went straight to voicemail. "Dyson, I need you at the kitsunes' sorority house on campus. They've taken Tamsin. Please hurry."

Bo skidded into the parking lot, observing that Tamsin's truck was still there. She raced to the house and threw the door open without knocking. Casey and Amanda were waiting in the kitchen, both pale-faced and holding back tears. "There were two women, one took her and the other went upstairs," Amanda apprised her.

The succubus gestured for them to go and crept up the stairs. Peering around the corner, she saw a strange woman at the end of the hallway, looking into one of the rooms. She had flowing blue-black hair and wore a black top and skirt; Bo could tell she was a Valkyrie. Stella had cautioned her to be careful, that young Valkyries were a force to be reckoned with, but her protective rage numbed her fear as she stepped forward.

* * *

Having gotten Bo's message, Dyson arrived on the scene to find Kenzi and Hale were already waiting outside the house. The kitsunes had called them, as instructed by Tamsin. They greeted him with grave expressions. "Where's Bo?" he asked, confused.

"There's something we need to tell you before we go inside," Hale admitted solemnly.

* * *

Bo marched down the corridor toward the unfamiliar Valkyrie, who turned to face her. The succubus looked into her striking black eyes; it was as if one of the falcons was staring back at her. "Where is Tamsin?" Bo demanded furiously, but the woman said nothing. Her face began to darken as the succubus reached her, indicating that she was about to use her deadly powers of doubt. In one fluid movement Bo grabbed the Valkyrie, sent a pulse of charm into her shoulder to pacify her, and leaned in to crash their mouths together, sucking her chi out as forcefully as possible. The woman sighed in surrender and her eyes fluttered shut.

Bo felt an electric rush. This Valkyrie's chi was intoxicating, much like Tamsin's. The succubus hadn't fed in a while and it was as if the hunger that had been building for days took command of her body. She closed her eyes and pushed the Valkyrie into a wall, continuing to push her persuasive charm for fear that without it her opponent might come to her senses and manage to resist her. The brunette felt the other woman weakening but held her steady and made sure to draw out the very last of her life essence, remembering Stella's words: _do not hesitate to drain her chi –all of it_. The Valkyrie's body tumbled face down to the ground and Bo stepped back, overwhelmed by the intensity of the chi she had just absorbed.

Pondering her next move, she looked down and realized something unusual was happening: the Valkyrie's hair was changing color in front of her. It settled on a familiar blonde hue. _Weird._

Then she smelled it: the faint, familiar scent of vodka. She'd been so hasty attacking her opponent and so ravenous feeding off her that she hadn't noticed it before. _No. No. No_. The brunette urgently turned the body face up.

It was Tamsin.

Her face was drained of color, her eyes were closed, and she looked peaceful. Peaceful and most certainly dead. Bo's heart came undone as she sank to her knees. She cradled her lover's body in her arms and immediately brought their lips together, hot tears starting to fall as she sought to transfer chi back into the detective. But the Valkyrie didn't kiss her back -the golden wisps just flowed back into her own mouth. She did it again. Then again. She felt for a pulse; nothing. "Tamsin. Tamsin. Tamsin," the succubus whispered over and over again, repeating her lover's name as if it were a plea, as if she could will her back to consciousness. But the Valkyrie's body remained lifeless.

"No!" Bo let out a guttural sob when the truth of the situation dawned on her. Tamsin had planned this, and there would be no reviving her. "How could you?" she cried aloud, as if the blonde could hear her. "Don't do this to me!" she begged futilely.

"Bo," Kenzi called to her in a sad, soothing voice as she emerged from the staircase. She, Dyson and Hale slowly approached the brunette. The human knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Kenzi was crying but her voice was steady. "Bo, I am so, so sorry."

Bo wrapped her arms around Tamsin, burying her face in her chest as she sobbed. Her friends looked on, powerless to ease her grief. Dyson leaned against the wall and slid down to a sitting position; he held his face in his hands and wept silently.

After a few minutes that felt like hours, Kenzi finally spoke, "We should take her out of here."

"Okay," the succubus agreed, her voice barely audible. She kissed the Valkyrie once more on the forehead and then let her go.

"I've got her, Bo," the wolf assured her. Dyson delicately lifted his partner and carried her out of the building, laying her in the backseat of her beloved truck, where he found the keys waiting in the ignition. The succubus was dizzy from shock and leaned on her best friend as she rose to her feet. Kenzi and Hale led Bo down the stairs and out the door.

The human drove a dazed Bo to the Dal in her Camaro, with Dyson and the siren following close behind. Trick had kept the bar closed and was waiting there with Stella. They settled the succubus into a booth and her grandfather brought her a hot drink that smelled of anise and several herbs she didn't recognize. "Drink this," he directed her, "it will help calm you down." She gulped it down, eager to take the edge off.

"Where's Tamsin?" she asked when the wolf entered.

"I'm sorry, Bo, but she's gone," a red-eyed Dyson sighed, "I left her in the backseat but when I got here and went to find her, her body had already disappeared."

The succubus let out another sob at this revelation and collapsed into Kenzi's arms.

"That's normal. When Valkyries die, their bodies naturally return to Valhalla shortly thereafter," Stella explained.

"You knew. You _all_ knew," Bo accused them in a soft bitter voice.

"I didn't know," Dyson reassured her, "no one told me until I got there. But knowing Tamsin, I'm not surprised."

"It was the only way to break the curse, and she made us promise not to tell," Trick pleaded.

"There had to be another way…" the brunette began.

"I had no meeting with Odin, Bo," Stella revealed. "Freyja told me that the curse would stand unless you defeated Tamsin, and that if you didn't, others would come for you, and for her."

The succubus paused to let this information sink in.

"How did she…" Bo stammered, her voice trailing off.

"The druid gave her a compound to disguise herself, and an elixir to prevent her from being healed so you wouldn't be able to transfer her chi back to her. Bo, you have to remember, it was the end of her life cycle. She was going to die sooner or later, and if you weren't going to do it, Odin's other unforgiving minions would have. They would literally have torn her limb from limb for betraying him."

"And she would have endured that in order to avoid putting you in this position, but you had to defeat her to lift your own curse," Trick offered.

"You gave her an easeful death," Stella ventured. This was little comfort.

A desperate idea popped into the succubus's head as she regarded her grandfather. "Use your blood to write the Valkyrie's curse out of existence," she appealed to him.

"I'm sorry, Bo," he replied, "I told Tamsin you would ask me to do that. Stella told her it would have dire consequences, so she made me swear not to do it."

"Of course Stella told her that," the succubus answered with a venomous tone, "You're always around giving helpful advice."

"I don't blame you for your anger," Stella responded, "But sometimes you are unrealistic, Bo. I warned you this story wouldn't have a happy ending."

Trick whispered in the elder woman's ear and she took her leave. "It breaks my heart to see you in such pain, but getting angry at Stella won't bring Tamsin back."

She couldn't bear to look at him any longer. "I want to go home," the succubus asserted numbly. Kenzi led her out of the Dal and drove her home.

* * *

All of her things were gone, but Bo could still smell the Valkyrie's familiar scent on the pillows. "I am never going to see her again," she muttered to Kenzi, overcome by a plunging feeling of hopelessness. "She will never return here, even when she's reborn. She'll just … wander the earth alone forever."

"She knew that. That's why she left this for you." The human presented her with an envelope containing a handwritten letter. The succubus held her breath as she read it, clutching Kenzi's hand for support. She could hear the Valkyrie's voice echoing in her head.

_Bo,_

_I cannot fathom how betrayed you must feel as you read this. I've never faced a dilemma that hurt this much. It destroyed me to lie to you once again and to ask your loved ones to be complicit. It was not a choice they made lightly and I hope you won't hold it against them. I don't expect you to forgive me for doing this to you; I know I never will._

_By the time we met I was already running on steam, counting down the days until I would get to die and start over. Then you walked into my life —or rather I into yours— and it was as if I_ _**was** reborn. You taught me to think outside the old ways, outside everything I have taken for granted about what it is to be a Valkyrie. You showed me what life could be like without my wretched curse, that my heart too could be both strong and gentle. Never in my lifetimes had I ever known the kind of joy I felt in your embrace and I would burn all of Asgard down if it meant I could be with you._

_But I am too weak to do that. So I took the coward's way. It was, it is, a selfish decision. I couldn't bear to be the one to tear you from Trick and the rest of your chosen family. You told me once that Kenzi was your heart: you belong with her, not in Valhalla. This was all I could do to ensure you wouldn't end up there.  
_

_I deceived you today, but please know that I meant every loving word I ever offered to you. You _are_ perfect to me. I_ do_ think you have what it takes to flourish unaligned. Your integrity is boundless, and meeting you rekindled my own. _

_For millennia my heart was hidden away, I never thought I would love anyone; just a few months with you made me unravel completely. I don't think I will ever be able to leave the Sanctuary; how could I surrender my feelings for you and go back to the way things were? You gave me the best week of my existence, a week I never want to forget. But it's over, and all I can say is that I'm sorry. You meant everything to me, and I hope you will live the long and happy life you deserve._

_With love and sorrow,_

_Tamsin_


	12. Chapter 12

It was around midnight when Bo arrived at Carpe Noctern, Vex's busiest club. She listlessly edged her way to the front of the lineup, dressed as usual in her dead lover's blue leather jacket. The bouncer recognized the unaligned succubus and waved her through. She made her way down the packed corridor toward the bar and ordered a vodka tonic, taking stock of her surroundings. It was dark, black lights flashed, and the air was thick with smoke from a machine under the stage; the Dark fae loved cheesy gimmicks. Scantily clad people danced on poles throughout the room; the succubus recognized a few of them from recent feeds.

The music pulsating through the speakers suited Bo's mood perfectly. In a quivering falsetto, a man sang bleakly of fruitless attempts to fill his emotional void through hollow sex with the wrong people. Still, she didn't revel in this atmosphere; she came to feed and aimed to do it as efficiently as possible.

Sipping her drink, the succubus settled her eyes on a young man across the room with a strong aura and decided he would suffice. She swallowed the last of her vodka and strolled unceremoniously up to her target, tracing her fingers lightly down his palm to send a mild wave of charm. He smiled as she took him by the hand and led him to the bathroom. Pulling him into the nearest stall, she ignored the sound of other patrons snorting coke on the other side of the divider, and set upon the task of removing his belt. Aroused, the man leaned forward to taste her lips, but Bo pulled back. "No kissing," she advised him while undoing his pants, her movements almost mechanical. The feed didn't take long. Drawing a long pull of the stranger's chi as he reached his peak, the succubus had technically satisfied her appetite. Staring blankly into the mirror afterward, she still felt empty as she washed her hands. Overwhelmed by her charm, the young man had thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but he still detected that something was wrong. He stared at her as he fiddled with his zipper. "You're so beautiful, yet so sad," he commented. She didn't respond.

"I could cheer you up," he offered hopefully.

"Oh honey. You're sweet, but you can't help me," Bo assured him wistfully, "Nobody can."

She thanked him and stole through the exit, circling back to the black truck that had brought her here.

* * *

_"Come on, babe! Stay with me! I need you to wake up!" She was back in the kitsune house again, trying desperately to revive Tamsin. The Valkyrie lay limp in her arms, and she felt herself shaking with panic. "You stupid girl," she told the blonde between sobs, "How could you do this? You can't do this to me!" Bo cupped her cheek and tried to breathe chi into her, but it dissipated in the air. She stared at Tamsin's face. Even in death she was beautiful._

"Wake up Bo, it's just a dream." A hand gently nudged her shoulder and Kenzi's calming voice drew the succubus out of her nightmare. The human wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and held her close, whispering comforting words in her ear. "I'm sorry, Kenz," she muttered as her breathing slowed back to normal. In the year since Tamsin's death, Kenzi had grown well accustomed to this routine.

"Shhh… it's okay, I'll stay with you until morning. Go back to sleep."

"Thanks." Bo cuddled up to the human, grateful for her comforting presence. Her sleep was punctuated by torturous dreams of vain attempts to resuscitate the dying Valkyrie. Almost worse were the nights when the succubus would dream that she and Tamsin were still together, rolling around happily in bed, only to wake up and face the cruel reality of her loss anew.

* * *

"We need another case," Kenzi concluded as they sat in the kitchen the next morning eating waffles Hale had brought over, "Something involving goons, maybe? It would do you good to kick some ass."

Bo smiled at the human as she mimed an action sequence. "Sounds good," she assented, exaggerating her enthusiasm. After a few months the succubus had started taking P.I. cases again at Kenzi's behest, in part to distract herself from the empty feeling that became all the more acute when she was idle. She was grateful to spend time with her best friend, and physical combat did allow her to channel her anger, but at the end of the day she still went home with a deep melancholy feeling gnawing at her insides, and no amount of ass-kicking had changed that so far.

"I'll keep my ear to the ground, maybe find something juicy," Kenzi promised.

"Looking forward to it," Bo smiled back at her.

* * *

It was early evening on a Monday when the succubus decided to visit her grandfather. There were few patrons in the Dal. Bo greeted the bartender on duty and descended to the basement, hoping to find Trick in his study. As she neared the bottom of the stairs, she heard him talking to someone and froze when she recognized Stella's voice.

"What do you mean you're banned from Asgard?" she heard her grandfather ask. Bo craned her head forward to eavesdrop while staying hidden from view.

"I mean," Stella explained, "that when I went there last week to see who needed training for the Dawning, as I do every October, Freyja warned me never to return. She told me she couldn't guarantee my safety and took away the amulet that allowed me to travel there."

"And this is because Tamsin…"

"Has evidently instigated some kind of rebellion in the Sanctuary. Odin associates me with her and now considers me an enemy of the realm." Bo felt her heart threatening to beat out of her chest as she absorbed what she'd just overheard. A warm, wide grin slowly spread across her face. _Of course she started a rebellion._

"A rebellion? In all my histories I've never read of a Valkyrie rebellion." Though he sounded alarmed at this prospect, the succubus detected a faint hint of pride in the Blood King's voice.

"It's unprecedented," Stella agreed, "Their only demand is an elimination of the Valkyrie's Curse. It seems that when Tamsin entered the Sanctuary she found it was full of sisters who had similarly been afflicted by the curse and couldn't bear to leave. Some had been there for hundreds of years. Most of them had actually surrendered their lovers to Odin and were totally broken by the experience. It didn't take long for her to galvanize them."

"But what are their chances of succeeding?" Trick asked nervously.

"I'm told that the rebels have the numbers and even Freyja sympathizes with them, but Odin is a God, Fitzpatrick, and this has never been done before. They have a measure of safety in the Sanctuary itself, but the moment they leave he may elect to destroy them all."

He sighed. "We can't share this with anyone. I don't want to get Bo's hopes up. It would be so wonderful if they won. But if they lose and Tamsin is permanently eliminated it will only twist the knife in her heart."

"Not to mention the fact that she would do everything in her power to travel to Valhalla herself so she could back Tamsin up. She's wily enough to find a way."

He let out a heavy sigh. "That is exactly what she would do. Given her current state of misery I have no doubt she would leap right in with no regard for her own safety."

"How has she been doing since I saw you last?" Though the succubus still resented Stella, there was no denying the concern in her voice.

"I honestly thought she would have improved more by now," he informed her sadly, "She's working cases again and she doesn't talk much about her grief, but she still has that same look in her eyes like something inside her is dead. It's like her heart is totally closed off."

"And her feeding? Is it still… on the perfunctory side?"

Trick sighed heavily again and Bo could tell he was nodding. "I'm told her feeding pattern is the same. She takes no pleasure in it and won't connect to anyone, she's really just phoning it in. Just two weeks ago she got roughed up by an ogre working a case and apparently Dyson took her to one of Vex's Dark clubs where she fed off a couple of nymphs to heal, still without kissing them or letting them," he paused, clearly uncomfortable with the subject, "touch her."

"But a succubus _needs_ pleasure! How long can she go on like this?"

"I don't know. If Lauren were here I would have her examine Bo, but she's still missing. Kenzi says she is still physically strong and able to hold her own in a fight, which is a good sign."

"You really miss her," Stella observed.

"Yes," he admitted mournfully, "I'm starting to wonder if she'll ever be the same again. I'm also starting to regret swearing to Tamsin that I wouldn't use my blood-"

"It was the right call, Trick. Tamsin felt bad enough about the curse, she would have hated to be the cause of whatever calamity that would have set in motion. Tell me more about this Ash business, that must be stressing you out too."

"You have no idea…"

Bo moved furtively back up the stairs and found the bartender on duty. She took his hand in hers and sent a pulse of charm into it. "I wasn't here tonight," she instructed him, gazing into his eyes.

"No, Ms. Dennis, you weren't," he concurred in a dreamy voice.

"Good," she whispered, heading back out the door.

As she drove away from the Dal, Bo thought back to what Stella had told Trick_: She's wily enough to find a way_. That had to mean there _was_ a way to get to Valhalla. _And she's right,_ the succubus thought, _I'm wily enough to find it_.

* * *

A/N: You reviewers seem to have learned that flattery will get you everywhere. I hadn't intended on continuing but I guess I have a few more chapters up my sleeve. I wrote this in a bit of a hurry so I hope it flows okay.

FYI: The music in Vex's club is The Weeknd (who is incidentally also from Toronto), specifically 'House of Balloons' and 'The Zone'. He's mastered the hollow lustful feeling I was going for in that atmosphere.


	13. Chapter 13

"My dear succubus, it's been far too long! To what do I owe this rare pleasure?" Vex curtsied as Bo marched determinedly into his office. A year in power had treated the new Morrigan well; he had traded in his old fetish wear for a pricey silk suit, and his staff seemed genuinely loyal to him. Bo had been avoiding the mesmer as much as possible, and though he still had his own aspirations for the succubus, Vex had seen her move through his clubs like a shadow of her former self, and he knew better than to bother her. "Would you care for tea or coffee? I'd be remiss if I didn't offer." She shook her head.

"I trust you've heard the Valkyries are staging a rebellion in Valhalla?" the succubus asked bluntly.

"Right down to business, eh? Yes, actually, I _have_ heard reports of your detective's little revolution," his tone grew suddenly more serious than usual, "I hope for your sake they succeed. You certainly have a way of inspiring people to do extraordinary things, don't you, succubus?"

"It's not enough for me to sit around and _hope_, Vex. I need to help her. What would it take to give her an advantage against Odin?"

"How would I know?"

"You've got connections, do you not? Most Valkyries are pledged to the Dark."

"That may be, but it's not up to us to meddle in Asgard's affairs."

Her tone softened. "Come on, Vex. We've been through so much together, I really think of us as friends. And I would owe you one."

"Oh, it does warm my heart to know that you're fond of me," he declared mischievously, "And I suppose there is still the matter of replacing the Ash. I might have a few ideas if you'd be willing to reconsider."

A new Ash still hadn't been chosen. After a disastrous spring stag hunt in which the only two candidates accidentally killed each other, the Light had been beset by rumors that the office of the Ash was haunted by bad omens, leaving Hale to grudgingly stay at the helm with the assistance of Trick and various elders. The siren had made regular appeals for new candidates to come forward for another hunt, but he still hadn't received any serious offers.

"Why would I agree to become the Ash in order to help Tamsin? If I were to pledge to the Light I would lose any chance of being with her. She's Dark."

"Ah, but you'd be _the Ash,_ succulet. Rules never apply to the people at the top; we're like human governments that way. Just look at Hale –he's managed to carry on with your human pet without anyone daring to stop him."

She frowned, "She's a person, not a pet."

"Semantics," he shrugged, grinning back at her.

Vex could tell that this would be his best chance of convincing the unaligned succubus to pick a side. "Tell you what, love, let me put my feelers out and figure out what I can rustle up. You go think about my modest proposal, then come back next week and we'll talk."

She considered this for a moment. "I don't want Trick or Dyson or Hale to hear about this, okay?"

"Mum's the word!" he chirped.

* * *

"Bo-bo, where were you? It's movie night!" Kenzi called to the succubus as she slipped off her boots in the entryway. Sure enough, her roommate was tucked under a blanket on the couch with Hale, Dyson, and plenty of treats. Initially, the succubus had been leery of having the boys over for movie night because it felt like a double date, but Dyson made it clear that this was very much a platonic activity and she could see it in his aura. In truth, he hoped that maybe one day Bo would find her way back to him again when she was done mourning, but she hadn't given any indication that she desired anything beyond friendship, and he wasn't the type to push it. Like everyone else, he just wanted to help her heal.

"Shit, sorry Kenz, I forgot. What have we got tonight?" Bo asked as she settled on the couch between the human and the wolf.

"It's a toss-up between _The Dark Knight Rises_ and _Cabin in the Woods._ Wolfman here wants Batman, I vote for Whedon, and Hale is indecisive." They tended to lean toward comedy, horror and action films, though they were careful to steer clear of anything with a good love story. Kenzi had gotten carried away with Japanese horror movies for most of the summer and the others were forced to issue a moratorium.

"I'm going to go with… Whedon," Bo concluded. Dyson looked on and shook his head while the human did a seated version of her victory dance. Hale went to start the movie and Bo helped herself to a beer.

She was distracted by thoughts of Tamsin, and of course, Vex's proposal. There was no denying that pledging to the Light was the last thing the succubus had ever wanted to do. Still, the thought of seeing the Valkryie again gave her a warm feeling in her chest –a feeling she hadn't experienced since their last night together. _Why does it come down to a choice between happiness and principles? _

Bo half listened as the others maintained a running commentary comparing the monsters from _Cabin in the Woods_ to various underfae they'd come across. Hale took the opportunity to frighten his girlfriend with stories of water-dwelling underfae not unlike the film's merman.

"You look different tonight," Kenzi announced when the movie was over and the guys had gone home.

"What do you mean?" Bo questioned, her tone mildly defensive.

"I don't know; it's like you're still distant, but more… relaxed. I can't put my finger on it."

"I did feed off a couple of hydras earlier, that could be it," the succubus improvised, knowing it was a weak excuse, "They had really strong chi."

Sensing she'd been lied to, Kenzi deliberated on whether she should push the issue, but decided against it. "Well, I hope you put them on speed dial," she joked, keen to put her friend at ease.

* * *

The next evening Bo sat in the truck in front of the Norn's bungalow for a good half hour before working up the nerve to go inside. The Norn was known for tricking people into great sacrifices, but if Bo was going to make a deal with a devil she figured she might as well see which devil would give her a better deal, Vex, or the Norn.

The old woman was less than excited to see her.

"I'd like to ask a few questions about making a deal with you," the succubus explained cautiously.

The Norn frowned. "You won't be setting foot in here unless you promise to keep your human away, forever," she insisted sourly.

"Deal," Bo consented. "If we do strike a bargain, I won't ever tell her, you have my word."

The Norn took a moment to size her up before finally deciding she could be trusted. "Sit down," she motioned to a chair in her living room. "Given what you've seen of my exchanges, I'm surprised to see you come knocking on my door. What is it that you need?"

"A group of Valkyries recently started a rebellion in Valhalla, and they're demanding an elimination of the Valkyrie's curse. I want to know if you have the ability to help them succeed, and what it would cost me."

The Norn shot the brunette a smug, knowing smile. "You are in love with one of them."

"Yes," Bo confirmed, her voice inflected with a mix of hope and sadness, "Very much."

"Odin is a god. Intervening in such a situation is not beyond my power… but it would come at a heavy, heavy price."

"What kind of price? If the price is my love for my Valkyrie, it would kind of defeat my purpose," she said, thinking of Dyson's experience.

The Norn looked into Bo's eyes, weighing her options. Finally, a tricky smile settled on her features. "You are a succubus, from a powerful bloodline, and you could live forever. First, I would take your immortality, leaving you to age and die like a human; and second, I would take your lust."

"My _lust_?"

"Yes, your lust. You would still feel love, and you would still be able to feed, but you would feel no lust for anyone, including your beloved Valkyrie," she paused, "Think of it as being able to eat without being able to taste your food. You'd keep all your seductive charms, without any personal pleasure."

Bo shuddered at the thought. "That's a pretty heavy price," she remarked.

"It's a pretty ambitious request," the old woman shrugged, "This is my final offer. How much is she worth to you?"

"I am going to need some time to decide," Bo asserted, careful not to say anything that the Norn could interpret as a commitment.

"Let me know," the crone replied creepily as she showed her to the door.

* * *

_She's ancient and she could actually give them victory. I spent most of my life thinking I would only live as long as the average human, but I was getting used to the idea of being around a lot longer… No lust sounds unbearable, but then again, so does being Ash… _Her mind abuzz with conflicting thoughts, the succubus wandered back to the truck and was shocked to unlock the door and find someone was waiting in the passenger seat.

"Aife?" she muttered. Her mother appeared kempt and healthy –it reminded Bo of the way she had looked before Taft found her. Bo was surprised, but instinct told her Aife wouldn't harm her.

"Hello Bo," the elder succubus greeted her warmly.

"How did you… where have you been?"

Aife placed her hand gently on her daughter's shoulder. "I managed to heal myself and made it out of Taft's compound, then I lay low down south for quite a while to regain my strength. That fucking monster and his experiments did a number on my head."

"You look incredible," Bo commented.

Aife was clearly pleased with the compliment, "Thank you, I'm doing very well. But I've become aware that you haven't been so lucky, and I'm here to help you." She paused for a moment, phrasing her next point as delicately as possible, "I know you love her, Bo, and I know it's the real thing, but you can't sell your soul to the Norn or the Morrigan."

Bo felt defensive, confused, and curious all at once. "How do you know about Tamsin? And how do you know about the deals I'm considering?" she asked, gesturing to the Norn's house.

"I'm sorry, honey, I didn't mean to intrude. Your grandfather would not be too thrilled to know I'm here and given our complicated history, I decided to watch you for a while from a distance just to see if you looked open to seeing me again."

"You spied on me? How?" Bo felt stunned and rather violated.

"I have my ways. I still have thralls, some of whom have discreetly kept an eye on you for the last few months. I heard what happened and it didn't take long to piece everything together."

Aife went on, her voice expressing a level of concern that her daughter hadn't realized she was capable of, "Everything you do tells the story of how much you miss that Valkyrie. The truck you're driving; that jacket you're wearing; the vodka you've been consuming by the bottle; your apparent refusal to feed off women with blonde hair. You're _wounded, _Bo."

The younger succubus sighed, overwhelmed to hear her pain named so frankly. Tears began to slide down her cheeks, and her mother slowly pulled her into an embrace.

"I know it's dangerous to seek help with the Norn and the Morrigan, but I can't bear to think of never seeing Tamsin again. What if Odin kills her?"

"He won't, Bo. Look, I know I wasn't there for you when you were growing up, and that I've hurt you, but I'm here to see you through this and I won't fail you. I can help you; I already have a plan."


	14. Chapter 14

"What are we discussing?" Tamsin asked as she joined the other Valkyries in the garden, carrying a tall stein of mead. She and her sisters had seized control of the Sanctuary, the ancient place designated for Valkyries to rest and renew themselves after they were reborn. They had taken to meeting in the garden at the centre of the building; it was the only place in this temporary home where they might enjoy fresh air and sunlight. Dozens of women were spaced out among the rocks. Some casually sharpened weapons. Some sipped mead. One woman buffed her armor lovingly. Another was braiding her hair.

"Aldis has been gone a fortnight, and still there is no word on her location or whether she was able to accomplish her task," a dark haired woman named Eir informed the group.

"This is bullshit. We all know Odin probably has her locked up somewhere –if he hasn't simply wiped her out," another interjected.

"Rota, this short temper of yours isn't exactly helping things," Eir countered.

"Pretending we have a chance to reach Freyja or obtain her spear isn't helping either," Rota sneered.

"We all knew it was a long shot," Tamsin reminded them, "but we've got no other options. There aren't many ways to weaken him."

"And if we can't?" Rota demanded impatiently.

"If we can't weaken him I don't see what changes," offered the oldest Valkyrie in the circle, a soulful redhead named Iona. She locked eyes with Rota, who sighed and leaned back against a moss-covered rock.

"Let's just give Aldis a little more time," Tamsin reasoned, "there's no point rushing it."

"Oh goodie, more waiting," Rota replied.

"Do you have a better idea?" Tamsin shot back, "You've come in and out of here like a revolving door for practically 60 years, I think you can wait a few more weeks." With that, she exited the garden, Iona following closely behind her. It wouldn't have been accurate to call Tamsin a _leader_, because Valkyries saw each other as sisters and equals. She had however, been the spark that lit this fire, and her peers accordingly held her in high esteem.

* * *

Though they were beyond Odin's control in the Sanctuary, the rebel Valkyries had few options when it came to strategy. The only way to enter was to expire at the end of a life cycle. Once a Valkyrie left the Sanctuary she returned to her duties, with heavy penalties for insubordination. They were reluctant to risk leaving because though all Valkyries lived in an eternal cycle of life and death, Odin always had the power to permanently extinguish their souls if they drew his wrath. Acacia had suffered this fate as part of Tamsin's punishment for disobeying him. The only thing left of her was the hand the detective had gotten in the mail; she'd burned it and spread the ashes in a meadow on a former Shawnee hunting ground.

The rebels had a hunch that Freyja could be won over and might lend them use of her spear, a sacred weapon that could injure even the gods. The goddess herself had paid a visit to the Sanctuary when the steady stream of Valkyries who normally flowed out of it had been reduced to a mere trickle, and the few who had chosen to leave warned that a rebellion was stirring. Freyja, fearing their destruction at Odin's hands, pleaded with them to back down and left them to 'come to their senses', warning that there would be no compromise. Much time had passed since this visit; surely Freyja had realized by now that the Valkyries were steadfast in their mission. They were like daughters to her; she wouldn't let him wipe them out. Aldis, an elder Valkyrie who Freyja had long favored, had been tasked with leaving the safe refuge of the Sanctuary to seek her out.

* * *

Time passed differently here than on earth. Tamsin had been here for what felt like several years, though on earth only around a year had passed since the fateful day when she'd tricked Bo into killing her. She was still shaken by the experience and, like so many of her heartbroken sisters, walked around with a pained expression permanently etched on her face.

Tamsin had woken alone that day in a soft feather bed here in the basement. Rebirth was always a bit jarring, but this time crippling grief tempered her newly recovered physical vitality. Her chest felt leaden, her breathing was strained, and she was beyond being able to cry. For days she lay immobile, thinking of the loving look in Bo's sleepy eyes as she had bid her farewell that morning, and the sensation of the succubus's charm as she drained her of her chi. That moment –the moment when Bo had killed her– haunted her in its contradiction. She'd felt overwhelmed with self-loathing at deceiving the succubus, yet the sensation of her charm had been pleasurable until the very end. It had been horror and bliss both at once.

Iona found Tamsin lying there in her bed on the third day, sweating and shaking like an opiate addict in withdrawal. She slowly nursed her through the initial shock, wiping her brow with a cool wet cloth and feeding her slow sips of mead. Others –Eir, Aldis, and even Rota among them– had joined Iona in caring for Tamsin; the ritual of comforting heartbroken cursed sisters was something they had all partaken in at some point or another.

Many Valkyries in the Sanctuary were unlucky enough to know exactly how she felt. Iona was the most experienced in these matters. Many hundreds of years ago she had fallen deeply in love with a Mesopotamian farmer she happened on one evening after a battle. He had been beautiful, pure at heart, and devoted to her. Forced to surrender him to Odin, she had returned to her master 100 years later, begging him to eliminate her because after all that time in the Sanctuary she knew she would never feel better. He refused, telling her to give it time, and not to be weak. She had languished in the Valkyries' refuge ever since.

"I wish I could tell you it will improve, but I can't," Iona had admitted when after a year had passed Tamsin admitted that the loss still felt unbearable. "On good days I feel a kind of numbness, or distraction, but if I think of him it's like I'm back there in the Hall of Warriors staring into his eyes for the last time. The problem with not being allowed to feel love is that when it does occur it overwhelms us completely."

Rota, who was only a few hundred years old, had taken a very different route. In the 1950s, she had fallen in love with a Chinese sailor and, like Tamsin, refused to deliver him. Odin had punished her by sinking her lover's ship, drowning every soul on board as she looked on. Rota had spent the years since throwing her life away over and over again on suicide missions in battle. She couldn't achieve revenge on Odin himself, so she destroyed her own body as often as she could and rarely escorted warriors to Valhalla.

This cycle had been interrupted one fateful day when a group of cursed Valkyries had been sitting in the Sanctuary's steam room together. Rota and Iona were arguing about whether Tamsin should stay forever in the Sanctuary, like Iona; or take a more incendiary path, like Rota. Both choices sounded hopeless and fatalistic to Tamsin.

"Haven't either of you ever considered the third option, of resisting him?" she offered.

"There's no such thing as resisting Odin," Rota grumbled bitterly. "He crushes us like flies."

"Then we need to form a swarm. He puts use in our places one by one, but what could he do if we all defied him together?" Tamsin continued.

And so began the discussion that slowly overtook the Sanctuary, until even some of the most loyal of Odin's squires decided that it was worth demanding an end to the Valkyrie's Curse. Even those who had never suffered its consequences had spent their lives on earth terrified of its specter. News of Tamsin's experience had reached most corners of the world by now. She was something of a legend among her sisters, who knew her as one of the fiercest Valkyries in existence; if she could be cursed, anyone could.

But what felt like a year had passed since these first rumblings of rebellion and the Valkyries were growing restless. Tamsin sensed this more and more as the days dragged on without any sign of Aldis.

"Relax Tamsin," Iona shrugged as they sat together again in the steam room, "So Rota is a hothead. We're going to see this through."

"What exactly are we going to see through?" the blonde asked her, "Killing him? Forcing him to comply? We have nothing to subdue him with."

"That doesn't even matter anymore: we managed to unite most of our sisters in resistance. Who would ever have imagined that was possible? Stupid Valkyries. We each pretend we are above the curse when deep inside it terrifies us all. It was about damn time we admitted it."

Tamsin sighed, nodding at her friend as her thoughts drifted to the other issue that obsessed her. What would she do if the curse _were_ lifted? Return to Bo? After tricking the succubus she had no right to stroll back into her life looking to reconnect. And what if she had moved on to be with Dyson or the doctor, or someone else? Doubts gnawed at her and she resented Odin for making her ruin the chance they had to be together.

"She'll forgive you, Tamsin," Iona assured her, recognizing that look that appeared on the blonde's face whenever Bo occupied her mind.

"I don't deserve it," the blonde whispered.

"You didn't deserve to be cursed," the redhead asserted, squeezing her hand.

"None of us did." Tamsin let out a shaky breath and smiled at her friend, then they were both silent. The detective shut her eyes and her thoughts drifted back to the day she met the unaligned succubus. _So you're the Bo I've heard so much about._

She shivered at the memory_._

**A/N: I am not particularly satisfied with this chapter due to my lack of inspiration for Valhalla as a setting and my shallow knowledge of Valkyrie folklore. I do have to finish this before school starts though so I guess I will keep on trucking through the last few chapters...**


	15. Chapter 15

"I see you've scaled down your living arrangements," Bo teased her mother when they arrived at her lavish condo downtown. It was a huge space but still much smaller than Aife's previous mansion.

"Yes, large estates tend to stick out. I was going for something a little more subtle this time."

A bare-chested man greeted them at the door and took their coats.

"Can I bring you and your guest anything to drink, ma'am?" he asked, smiling vacantly. There was something wrong with his aura, it was dim and washed out.

"Yes, Peter… Irish coffee perhaps? It's cold out," Aife instructed him.

"And I see you still have your posse of beefcake slaves," Bo observed in a reproving tone.

Aife sighed. "I know you're no fan of keeping thralls but it just so happens that I have one who is going to be very useful to us." They sat together on an olive green suede sofa; Peter brought them a pair of mugs of hot coffee and made himself scarce.

"What do you mean?" her daughter asked in a suspicious tone.

"I mean that I enthralled a Valkyrie," the elder succubus revealed delicately.

She went on as Bo angrily processed this news, "The alternative is for you to sell your soul to the Norn or that Mesmer. This is the least offensive option. I promise that I will let her go when this is all over."

"Do you really think that when you free her, a _Valkyrie_ is going to forgive you for enthralling her?"

"She will if I dose her with enough charm afterward. And it doesn't hurt that by lucky coincidence she happens to know and like your Tamsin."

Bo felt a sharp pang in her stomach at this news. "How does she know her? How did you manage to find and enthrall this Valkyrie? I'd never even met one before Tamsin and I know for a fact there aren't any more in town." She knew this because for months she'd gone looking for her lover's peers, hoping one of them could help her find her way back to the detective, but every lead she got led to a dead end.

"I picked her up in a Dark fae bar in New York. She was already quite drunk so all it took was the prick of a needle and she was mine. She can bring us to Valhalla, Bo. She'll be invaluable in devising a strategy."

"What's she like?" the younger succubus asked hesitantly, feeling guilty about her growing curiosity.

"Her chi is amazing, I can see why you prefer Valkyries."

Bo shot her mother a death glare. "That's not what I meant."

"She's smart and she has insider knowledge. Here, let me introduce you," Aife rose and disappeared down the hall, returning with a tall blonde woman who had a faraway look in her eye and the same weak aura that all Aife's thralls possessed. Her features were nothing like Tamsin's, but her gait and posture were eerily similar to the detective's. Studying the woman, the succubus unconsciously held her breath for a moment before reminding herself to breathe.

"Hello Bo," the Valkyrie introduced herself, "My name is Elin."

The younger succubus shook the woman's hand, holding back tears that were threatening to fall. "It's nice to meet you, I'm sorry for what my mother did to you," she offered.

"Thank you, but so far she hasn't mistreated me. I actually feel a kind of fuzzy euphoria in her presence." Elin smiled at Aife, who patted her on the knee.

"So… you know Tamsin?" Bo asked shyly.

"Yes, I am well acquainted with Tamsin. She's a few hundred years older than me and well respected among our ranks for her wit and tenacity. I first met her in Constantinople, in the 6th century, and I've come across her again at least once every hundred years or so since then. Our last encounter was at Stalingrad. It was pretty brutal and we took countless soldiers, but she still led us on quite a bender when the Germans were defeated."

A smile tugged at Bo's lips as she imagined the detective in a rowdy crowd, tossing back celebratory glasses of her favorite vodka.

Elin continued. "I also know about you, and how she was cursed, and what she did to work around it. Her story surprised us all; I never would have pegged her as someone who would have let herself fall in love, though I guess if you gave her your blood–"

"I did _not _enthrall her," Bo insisted, "It wasn't a blood thing, or a succubus thing. It was real. It _is_ real."

"Then you're not like your mother?" It was more of a statement than a question. Though she was under Aife's spell, Elin knew on some level that she was being manipulated. The elder succubus smiled, unoffended by the comment.

"I… that's a complicated question, but I don't create thralls and I never meant for anything bad to happen to Tamsin." She wiped a tear that had managed to stray down her cheek. "I really love her and I swear it was consensual."

Elin nodded; she understood that the succubus was telling the truth.

"What do you know about the rebellion?" Bo pressed.

"I know that they've gathered a lot of momentum, and that Odin has warned us that he will show them no mercy."

"How did you react when you first heard about it?"

"I was surprised. I couldn't decide whether I thought they were crazy brave or just plain crazy, but I admit I found it admirable."

After carefully considering Elin's statement, Bo took the Valkyrie's hand and turned to her mother, "I'm going to take her home. I promise I won't say a word to Trick, I just really need to spend some time alone with her."

Aife could tell Bo was moved by the Valkyrie's presence, and pleased to hear that Elin might bring her comfort; she hoped Bo would come to her senses and have a healthy feed.

"Do as my daughter tells you," she impressed upon the Valkyrie. "You are overjoyed to be in her company."

Elin's mouth settled in a dopey grin as Bo led her out the door; "This is the strangest feeling… you smell really, really good…" she trailed off.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mom," Bo promised.

* * *

"This isn't at all like your mother's place," Elin remarked as Bo led her into the house.

"No, it's not," the brunette chuckled.

"Kenz?" the succubus called, "Are you here? Did you get my texts?"

The human raced into the living room brandishing Geraldine, her favorite sword. "Yeppers! What's the emergency? Red caps? Mutant pig men? Wait," she said, noticing the tall blonde woman standing beside her best friend, "Is she friend or foe? Did you finally bring home a snack?"

The Valkyrie blushed, aroused by the prospect of being fed on by the succubus. She tried to run her fingers up Bo's arm but the brunette gently removed her hand.

"No," Bo scowled, "She is not a snack. Her name is Elin and she's been enthralled, I need you to perform that ceremony to break the spell."

"Wait a second, I thought we were going to spend some time together," Elin accused Bo, her tone vaguely hurt. "That's what you told your mom."

"Aife! Aife is here?!"

"Yes," Bo sighed, realizing she probably should have warned the Valkyrie on the way over not to mention her mother. They sat down and she reluctantly gave her best friend all the details of Tamsin's rebellion and her own plans to intervene, swearing her to secrecy.

"That's why you look different! I knew you were lying about that hydra. When did your mom swoop in with our new friend here?"

"Yesterday," Bo informed her as she poured a glass of vodka for Elin. She didn't really know what else to offer her. "Being Aife, she thought it would be helpful to enthrall a Valkyrie, but you know how I feel about that. If she is going to help me I want her to make that choice herself."

The Valkyrie downed her drink in one motion, refusing to let go of the succubus's hand. "You're human," she realized, having been staring intently at Kenzi. "That's interesting. Were you also a friend of Tamsin?"

Kenzi smiled and nodded warmly at Elin. "Are you sure it's a safe idea to free her?" she whispered, "Your other options are shit and it sounds like you really need her help. She's cute now being all drunk on your mom's blood mojo but something tells me that without it she'll be decidedly less cuddly and more violent. Like 'cutting off our heads' violent."

Bo turned to the Valkyrie, "If I free you from my mother's thrall, are you going to cut off our heads?"

"I've never been a fan of decapitation, but I can't really predict how I will react."

"See?" Kenzi told Bo, gesticulating wildly. "That wasn't the most reassuring response."

The succubus shot her a determined look.

"Ughhh. That's the 'I'm not changing my mind' face. Fine, we will do this thing, but if she kills us both I will never forgive you."

They laid the Valkyrie down on the living room floor, wrapping her hands in strips of an old white dishtowel. Bo lit a few candles while Kenzi made a small incision on Elin's wrist.

"With harm to none thy will be done, the wrist I cleave and the other leave, thou cannot harm her Aife."

A confused expression fell on the human's face and she passed out into Bo's lap just as Elin jolted upwards off the ground. "Motherfucker," she muttered, grabbing her head. Suddenly questioning whether this was the right course of action, the succubus pushed the bottle of vodka toward her. The Valkyrie took a swig and scanned the room, settling her gaze on Bo.

"You weren't lying, I take it. You want me to assist you of my own volition."

"I know it's a lot to ask," Bo pleaded, "but I really need to get to Valhalla and you're the only one who can help me."

"I know," Elin said, "My sisters and I avoided you like the plague after Tamsin's death because we knew you'd put us up to this and we'd heard your seductive powers were a force to be reckoned with. I didn't realize her love for you was real."

"So will you help me?"

The Valkyrie sighed. "I can take you to the Hall of Warriors but I can't promise much else."

"You have no idea how grateful I am," the succubus thanked her.

Kenzi roused, pushing herself up from Bo's lap by her palms. "Oh good, we still have our heads. I take it she's the forgiving type, or should I be reaching for Geraldine?"

"You must have driven Tamsin crazy," Elin told the human dryly.

"Less than you might think…" Kenzi assured her, still disoriented.


	16. Chapter 16

"I promise I won't let my mom touch you, but I have to go see her before we go."

The Valkyrie had slept over on the couch, where she and Bo now sat nursing coffee. Kenzi was rifling through a trunk in her bedroom, tossing objects left and right and mumbling to herself in Russian.

"And you actually own a koushang you're willing to lend me," the Valkyrie replied, mildly incredulous.

"It officially belongs to the Ash, but they never noticed it was missing. I used it myself against Aife back when we didn't get along so well. I guarantee it performs as advertised."

"Found it!" the human called out gleefully, racing in with the diamond-shaped amulet in her hand, "Bo-bo, how 'bout a demonstration for our esteemed guest?"

"Okay," the succubus agreed playfully. The human hung the koushang around her neck, and from across the room Bo tried to draw chi from her, pulling nothing but a black wisp of smoke that left her coughing.

Elin was impressed, "You can pull chi from that great a distance?"

"Dude, she can chi-suck a whole roomful of people at once!" Kenzi boasted.

"You're quite powerful," the Valkyrie told Bo.

"I'm all right," she shrugged modestly.

"Okay then, let's get this part over with," Elin added as the human handed her the amulet.

* * *

"You did what?" Aife was not especially pleased to hear the Valkyrie had been freed, though she was careful not to raise her voice. She and Bo stood whispering in the kitchen. "I went to a lot of trouble to enthrall that Valkyrie and you were supposed to be feeding off her last night. You have to feed, Bo. We can't go off to Valhalla with you looking so pasty."

"I can't do this with a thrall; I need a Valkyrie to bring me there of her own free will. You know how grateful I am for everything you've done for me, Mom, but I have to do this my way, and I think it would be best if Elin and I went by ourselves. "

"You know how I love a good rebellion," her mother sighed with disappointment. "Promise me you'll feed," she insisted in a vaguely maternal tone.

"I promise," Bo assured her, "Vex has a strip club downtown where I can feed off dozens of willing people in one go."

"Bo, I am very proud of you and I just want you to be happy," Aife pulled her into a tight hug, "I have no doubt that you have what it takes to pull this off."

"Thank you, Mom. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Bo found Elin waiting in the entranceway, studying Peter closely. He wasn't bothered and stood quite contently as she held his jaw and stared into his eyes.

"Did I look like this yesterday? This guy is like a cross between a zombie and a puppy."

"You weren't as far gone as him, you just looked kind of stoned," the succubus reassured her.

* * *

"You aren't going to ask if you can feed off me, are you?" Elin asked curiously as they drove toward Vex's club. She'd stowed the koushang in the glove compartment and was considering whether or not she should offer to let the brunette feed from her.

"No," the succubus admitted uncomfortably, staring at the road ahead, "It would probably just remind me of how much I miss her_._"

"I'm guessing this was Tamsin's truck," the Valkyrie went on.

"Yes," Bo confessed, "I'm pretty attached to the things she left behind."

"Are you angry that she left _you_ behind?"

"There've been times when I've been angry," the brunette explained, "But I can't blame Tamsin for the position Odin put her in. I hope she knows that."

"Well, pretty soon you'll have a chance to tell her yourself." Bo felt rush of nervous excitement at the thought.

* * *

"What kind of name is _Cheeky Peelers_?" Elin scoffed as they pulled up to the strip club and she spotted the flashing neon sign.

"If you knew Vex, it would make perfect sense to you. He's a rather… eccentric character. In a kinky, British kind of way."

"I see. I guess I'll just wait here while you do your thing?"

"Yeah, it won't take me very long. There's a Wilco tape in there, or you can listen to the radio if you feel like it," she gestured to the stereo.

It was still relatively early in the day, yet the club was filled with rowdy businessmen who were more than happy to part with their chi when the seductive young succubus came strolling in. Bo turned on the charm and fed off more than a dozen of them before deciding she'd had her fill.

* * *

"Promise me you won't get killed," Kenzi begged as Bo prepared herself to make the journey to Valhalla. Kenzi's nervousness about a confrontation with Odin was overshadowed by her suspicion that this might be the only way the succubus would be able to overcome her grief.

"I promise, Kenz," Bo assured the human as she wrapped her in a tight hug, "Thanks for not telling Hale or Trick; you really are the best friend a succubus could ask for."

"Mmmhmm," Kenzi cooed with false modesty. "Give my favorite bitchy detective a hug for me!" she added as Bo and the Valkyrie headed up the stairs to her room.

"So how does this work? Should I bring weapons?" the succubus asked.

"Do you think one of your daggers is going to do much good against a god?"

"Point taken," the brunette conceded.

"Just wear something comfortable," Elin suggested, "and sensible shoes."

Bo nodded. She was dressed casually, with flat-heeled leather boots and Tamsin's blue jacket.

"You ready?"

"Let's do this," the succubus instructed her, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

The Valkyrie wrapped her arms around Bo and both women closed their eyes. The succubus felt the floor disappear underneath her; an instant later she was standing on a stone floor in a massive, dimly lit hall.

"Welcome to the Hall of Warriors," Elin said proudly as they broke apart.

The brunette took in the scene in front of her. Hundreds of people, mostly men, stood and sat around the Hall. There was a diverse cross section of ethnicities, ages, and uniforms from different regions and eras across human history. She saw knights in medieval armor, samurai, warriors in sandals and Greek-style garb, guerrillas, people clad in various types of African and indigenous warrior regalia, and men and women in modern military uniforms from all around the world. Some were bare-chested, some wore thick fur coats and hats; still others wore turbans, fezzes, and spiked helmets. They had every weapon imaginable: swords, spears, daggers, pikes, bows, axes, bayonets, muskets, rifles, and machine guns. Nearly all of them clung to flasks or giant steins, and a faint, sweet smell of mead wafted through the air.

"You're eventually going to want to find Freyja, but I can introduce you around here if you like," the blonde offered. Bo nodded, overwhelmed.

Elin took her hand and they weaved through the Hall, finally locating a goateed Chinese man with an ancient looking cap from an era Bo couldn't place. "This is Sun Tzu," the Valkyrie explained, "He knows everyone and everything that goes on here."

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Bo awkwardly attempted a bow but the old man just shook her hand.

"A recent arrival, I take it? Welcome to the Hall of Warriors," Sun Tzu greeted her warmly.

"Not quite. I'm not a warrior; I'm here because the Valkyries are in rebellion in the Sanctuary and I want to help them," the succubus informed him.

"You're Tamsin's succubus," he realized, For what it's worth, we're on your side. You'll notice that there are a few civilians around the Hall –victims of the Valkyrie's Curse. They don't belong here." He waved over a woman in a maroon evening gown who looked out of place.

"This is Madeleine. She's also fae and she's been here for over 300 years," he informed Bo.

The woman smiled and shook her hand. "I had a popular salon in Paris, where I met a Valkyrie named Eir. We began a passionate affair and before long, she was forced to bring me here. I know the warriors are honored to be here, but for me it's like a prison."

Bo recounted her own story to Sun and Madeleine, who listened with sympathy.

"There have been some discouraging developments of late," the old man sighed. "The rebels sent an emissary to find Freyja, but Odin destroyed her and locked Freyja in the dungeon."

"Where is the dungeon?"

"Odin and Freyja have a fortress not far from here," Sun answered, "It's there."

"And why haven't you gone to free her?" Bo asked, cloaking her irritation in a diplomatic tone.

"None of us have ever left this Hall as long as we've been here. We aren't technically able to open the gates."

"But a Valkyrie could, couldn't she?"

"Technically speaking, yes," Elin admitted reluctantly. "Though it's never been done before and I don't exactly harbor a death wish."

"He wouldn't dare kill you in front of all of us," the old man argued. "He still values our loyalty."

"You rally the troops then, and I'll grab the door," the Valkyrie volunteered grumpily, rolling her eyes. Bo smiled. _I guess all Valkyries have an attitude problem,_ she thought to herself.

"Why does everyone here speak English?" the succubus whispered to Madeleine as Sun Tzu gave a rousing speech that boomed across the Hall.

"In Valhalla, we all hear our own languages when other people speak," the other woman explained, "You hear English; I hear French; he hears Chinese, and so on."

"Whoa," Bo sputtered as she wrapped her head around the idea.

* * *

Even Elin couldn't help but grin as she watched the warriors pouring out of the Hall. The men were thrilled for the mission and stared with wonder at the landscape they'd only seen heretofore through the window. When they reached their destination, the men spread out along the back half of the perimeter as Bo, Elin, and Sun led a small contingent over the wall and through the courtyard. They crept down to the dungeon, confronting a giant but unguarded locked door.

"Why hasn't he realized we've broken in?" the succubus wondered.

"He's arrogant enough to think it's impossible," the blonde whispered, "He's probably feeling invincible knowing the only person who could ever challenge him is locked away here."

The Valkyrie conferred with Sun about the mechanics of the door, and after much deliberation, they managed to unlock it. Cranking the door open, they were awestruck by the goddess they found on the other side.

She was tall and fair, with long, shiny red hair. She wore a brown leather top and a green skirt that matched her eyes. A gleaming silver shield and tall spear stood against the wall. Bo was amazed by the power of her aura; it was like nothing she'd seen before. She felt a kind of spiritual calm in her presence.

Freyja was surprised to see them.

"Sun Tzu? Elin?"

"We came for you," the Valkyrie beamed, kneeling deferentially before the goddess.

"Stand. You've done very well, my dear." Elin rose proudly to her feet.

"And you must be the unaligned succubus," Freyja concluded, looking at Bo like she could see right through her.

"Yes," Bo nodded respectfully, "It's such an honor to meet you."

"I see Tamsin picked someone worthy of her," Freyja remarked kindly. The succubus glowed at the compliment.

"Do I take it you've come to side with the rebels?" Bo ventured.

"Yes," Freyja responded sadly, "He should never have given them human emotions if they weren't meant to use them. As time has gone on I've realized he needs to be deposed."

Bo and the others were shocked at this revelation.

"One of my favorite daughters, Aldis, came to find me and he intercepted her," the goddess continued, her tone growing bitter, "He told me to join him down here where I could see her, then he killed her before my eyes, and imprisoned me. I hadn't imagined he would stoop so low as to hold me hostage in my own kingdom."

"The warriors are standing by to back you up," Sun Tzu assured her.

"It's about time they got out of that stuffy Hall," Freyja mused, taking hold of her spear and shield.


End file.
